The findings. “of Vancouver

forensic pathologist Dr. L.H.

Gray, have led to the conclusion |

‘that the death of 19-year-old

Myrna Lorri Anne George on

Sept. 14, 1991, was caused. by
multiple organ failure
' from massive hemor-
rhaging due to a lacer-
ation of the. uterus

\G FROM DEATH -

AC coroner ’s report details Myrna George’ S last
"hours and recommends reviews.
_ of the medical care she got

‘Hone t that could result from the

abortion. 7

In his summary of the medi- .

cal care Myrna. George received,
‘Lynch riotes the following i in his ,

: report: “It is ; my opinion that the.

"garding. the seport of Dr. . Chor

(the anesthetist) that. Dr, Boyd
felt we would continue fluid man: _
agement and that he would

‘reassess the patient i in the morn-

ing, Dr. Boyd states in his dic-
_tated report, "We dis-

~ cussed the case on the

_ phone and elected to

-,, wateh to see if another _

following a therapeutic
abortion at Mills Mem-
orial Hospital by Dr. :
Gordon Boyd.

As a result, Terrace |
‘coroner Jim Lynch
offers the following
recommendations: ~ :
That the College of .
Physicians and Sur-
geons conduct an in-
depth review of the
‘entire case.
eThat the Chief of .

“lt is my opinion that the most
_ significant. factor in the outcome ==. «8
was the delay in the recognition of ©

post-operative hemorrhage due to

the uterine rupture. The

| responsibility for the recognition of
hemorrhage in this period rests -
with the gynecologist performing

the operation..."

| two. units of blood
. would i improve the situ-
 ation,’, | 7
“One must note
_ that. Dr. Boyd has a
different recollection of _

_.» some of the events than
-,, those set out in the
_ hospital records.” s

+ s.,.,.,Khe facts in this
cage, as outlined in.
_.,.. Lyneh’s report, are as,
aa follows:

de

Myrna George was.

Medical Staff at Mills
Memorial Hospital be.
requested to review the
case with the medical

staff involved in an ‘attempt to
- emphasize the appropriate moni- —

toring and treatment of post-oper-

~ ative shock.
eAnd that Minister of. Health

Elizabeth | Cull direct that. all
‘prospective patients for thera-
peutic abortions be apprised, in
writing, of all possible complica-

_= Terrace coroner James Lyne ~

most’ significant factor in the

outcome was the delay in the
recognition:

rupture. The responsibility for the

_ recognition of hemorrhage in this
period rests with the gynaecolo-
gist performing-the operation. In

conversation with Dr. Boyd re-

. 2- - Terrace Review — April 24, 1992

of post-operative .
hemorrhage due to the: uterine |

"> admitted to Mills Mem-
.,\-‘ orial Hospital on Sept..

’ 11, 1991. The abortion
procedure began at

. 12: BB p. m. During the procedure
'. the: gestation period was deter- ’

mined to be 14 weeks. Following
the procedure, blood loss ' ‘was
described as excessive".

In the recovery room, George

was described as having cramps.

About an hour after the comple-
tion of the procedure, she was.