A HOSPITAL has apologised to the parents of a premature baby who died after a tube supplying her nutrition was positioned in the wrong place.

Katy Morley-Worrall was born at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire at 27 weeks, weighing only 1lb 14oz.

She died six days later, in the same hospital, on April 14, 2009, after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Her parents, Richard and Karen Worrall, of Cromer Road, Northwood, attended their daughter's inquest at North Staffordshire Coroners' Court in Hartshill yesterday, which heard how despite having been born three months premature, Katy was making good progress and had been taken off a ventilator.

Staff had inserted a 13cm tube at Katy's elbow when she was two days old, with the tip of the catheter to be positioned close to the heart.

This was a method used to feed nutrients to such premature babies who cannot feed normally.

But the tip of the catheter had been inserted too far and had entered the right ventricle of the heart, which led to a build-up of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) fluid in the pericardium, a double-walled sac that contains the heart.

This led to compressed veins and would eventually stop blood getting to Katy's heart.

Representing the hospital at the inquest, Doctor Stephen Spencer, said: "It's a very rare occurrence and clearly we at the hospital were very upset about what had happened.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to say how sorry we are that this has happened to the family, and I wish we could turn back the clock.

"It was a complication of something we did on our unit and we have to accept that.

"This complication occurred when the baby was doing well and it was the result of a technique that we used.

"I believe the technique has to be used on babies such as this one, but we're still very sorry it happened."

The inquest heard doctors believed the catheter was in the correct position.

An x-ray to check its position, as was standard practice, was also carried out, but no concerns were raised.

There had been no visible health problems until Katy's heart rate dropped dramatically just before midnight on April 13.

She died less than two hours later, despite lengthy attempts by doctors to keep her alive.

A post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death was heart tamponade (compression of the heart), due to myocardial perforation by a TPN line.

Dr Spencer said: "We believed the catheter was in the right place and there were no worrying signs to suggest otherwise.

"I was surprised clinically when I heard the results of the post-mortem.

"We didn't know she had tamponade when she arrested, which meant techniques such as the cardiac massage were ineffective."

The inquest heard that even if they had identified the problem with the catheter, Katy would have needed an urgent life-saving operation.

Coroner Ian Smith recorded a verdict that Katy died as a result of the complication of the insertion of a feeding tube.

He said: "That does not suggest one way or another whether anyone was negligent, it is intended to be neutral and is simply a statement of fact.

"I am satisfied Katy died as a result of the build up of fluid inside the heart sack, and that came about because the long line which had been put in was incorrectly positioned."