The Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquest Report

 

 

Background and diagnosis

Alyssa Still, the firstborn child of Donna Still, was born at 39 weeks gestation by caesarean section in Thunder Bay, Ontario on November 14, 1993. Shortly after her birth, her doctor, Dr. G. Derbyshire, diagnosed Alyssa with a heart murmur. An ultrasound indicated that she had Tetralogy of Fallot. Donna Still said that she understood Tetralogy of Fallot to be a large hole in the heart, which would simply not close.

Derbyshire was familiar with Giddins, and referred the Stills to the Variety Children's Heart Centre. He advised Donna Still that Alyssa would probably have to undergo heart surgery. Donna Still and her mother, Shirley Mae Still, took Alyssa to Winnipeg in March 1994. Donna Still indicated in her testimony that she had been given the option of going to Toronto with her child, but had chosen to come to Winnipeg because it was closer to Thunder Bay. Once referred here, there was never any suggestion that the operation be performed outside Manitoba.

 

 

Current Home - Table of Contents - Chapter 6 - Background and diagnosis
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Previous Issues
Section 1 Chapter 1 - Introduction to the Issues
  Chapter 2 - Pediatric Cardiac Issues
  Chapter 3 - The Diagnosis of Pediatric Heart Defects and their Surgical Treatment
  Chapter 4 - The Health Sciences Centre
Section 2 Chapter 5 - Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in Winnipeg 1950-1993
  Chapter 6 - The Restart of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery in 1994
January 1, 1994 to May 17, 1994
  Chapter 7 - The Slowdown
May 17 to September 1994
  Chapter 8 - Events Leading to the Suspension of the Program
September 7, 1994 to December 23, 1994
  Chapter 9 - 1995 - The Aftermath of the Shutdown
January to March, 1995
Section 3 Chapter 10 - Findings and Recommendations
Appendix 1 - Glossary of terms used in this report
Appendix 2 - Parties to the Proceedings and counsel
Appendix 3 - List of witnesses and dates of testimony
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Tables
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