A ‘brilliant’ Professor passed away at the age of 43 after medical errors in the treatment of a rare condition, which he was an expert in, his widow, a GP, disclosed during an inquest today.
Prof Amit Patel, distinguished as one of the brightest doctors in his generation and a pioneer in stem cell transplantation, was the subject of an inquiry into his untimely demise.
In August 2021, the father of two daughters was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester due to flu-like symptoms suspected to be related to a throat infection. Despite antibiotic administration, his condition deteriorated, leading doctors to tentatively diagnose Still’s disease—a rare inflammatory condition—as the probable cause of a potentially lethal immune disorder known as HLH.
Dr. Shivani Tanna, his wife, expressed his terror at realizing that the doctors treating him did not grasp HLH, despite his expertise and involvement on a national panel dedicated to the condition.
Prof. Amit Patel, a father of two, shown in a photograph with his children, managed to sustain himself in the hospital solely due to his medical knowledge. However, an inquest revealed that staff shortages and negligence ultimately resulted in his demise.
Before his passing at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, Prof. Amit Patel had achieved renown as a trailblazer in stem cell transplantation and an accomplished haematologist.
Consequently, despite his grave illness and cognitive fog, Prof. Amit Patel found himself advising doctors on his own treatment. Despite his expertise as a haematologist, he encountered resistance from nurses when requesting access to his blood test results.
“He managed to endure his time in the wards by relying on his own medical knowledge,” Dr. Tanna informed the Manchester Coroner’s Court. She emphasized that had he not possessed medical expertise, he would likely have succumbed to negligence within three days of admission.
Dr. Tanna recounted how Prof. Patel insisted on urgent immunosuppressant treatment, emphasizing the critical nature of time. However, the medical team opted for steroids initially, which initially showed a promising response.
Plans were discussed for his discharge for outpatient care of Still’s disease’s debilitating effects. However, when Dr. Tanna visited him on August 27, she found him barely conscious, which led to his transfer to intensive care.
Despite being in intensive care, Dr. Tanna had to personally monitor his condition due to staff shortages. She expressed frustration at the consultants’ apparent dismissal of their advice on his treatment.
Dr. Tanna emphasized that Prof. Patel’s medical knowledge prolonged his life during his hospitalization. However, a lung biopsy on September 2 led to complications, with doctors ignoring his warnings about his condition, leading to a dire situation where blood filled his lungs.
Subsequently, Prof. Patel was placed on an ECMO machine for oxygenation, with a slim chance of recovery. Tragically, he passed away on October 28.
Reflecting on her late husband’s exceptional brilliance and humanity, Dr. Tanna described him as one of the UK’s most knowledgeable and outstanding doctors.
During the inquest, Dr. Shivani Tanna recounted how she personally ensured her husband’s well-being by monitoring his vital signs and fluids. She tearfully revealed that she couldn’t contain her emotions upon seeing him in intensive care.
In the image taken at the inquest into Prof. Amit Patel’s passing on Thursday, Shivani, the wife of Amit Patel, is seen with her family. From left to right: Alchil Tanna, Tia Patel, Nita Thakrar, Shivaji Tanna, Anisha Tanna, Elen Stritch, and Jayshree Wakerja.
She had advocated for his transfer to a prominent London hospital. However, her husband resisted the move due to concerns about the upheaval it would cause for their young family, who had recently relocated to Cheshire.
“If I could have relocated him, he would still be with us today,” she asserted.
Paul Spencer, representing the hospital, stated that he had no questions for Dr. Tanna but noted that there were points of disagreement.
Later, Dr. Simon Watts, a haematologist involved in Prof. Patel’s care, admitted during the hearing that although he was familiar with HLH, he had never treated a patient with the condition before. When questioned by area coroner Zak Golombeck about the rationale behind the lung ultrasound, Dr. Watts explained that national HLH experts had requested it to rule out any undetected conditions exacerbating the situation.
Under scrutiny by Dr. Tanna’s barrister, Darragh Coffey, Dr. Watts acknowledged the absence of documented information regarding a condition causing abnormal blood clotting. However, he maintained that he believed this issue would have been addressed during a multidisciplinary team meeting to discuss Prof. Patel’s treatment.
Prof. Patel, known for his contributions to stem cell transplantation, had initially trained as a haematologist in London before spearheading groundbreaking initiatives to enhance cancer survival rates at hospitals in Liverpool and Manchester.
Following his demise, senior doctors at Imperial College London lauded him as “an intellectually daring clinician, researcher, and educator.” They praised his significant contributions to clinical research in stem cell transplantation and cell therapy.
The hearing is ongoing.
