68-Year-Old Man Dies After Hospital Pumped Detergent In Lungs

William Hannah, 68, of England was taken to Salford Royal Hospital in September 2017 after being hit by a car. 

While Hannah was being treated for a head injury and multiple fractures, he developed a lung infection. The doctor decided to do a saline flush, which is used to clear out a sick lung. 

According to People Magazine, the doctor’s assistant grabbed cleaning detergent instead of saline. 

“During the procedure, the doctor found there was no saline solution in the equipment trolley and so asked a healthcare assistant to pass this to him. However, the assistant became confused and instead of providing the doctor with the requested saline, accidentally handed him an unlabelled bottle containing detergent that they had prepared for cleaning equipment. The doctor then unknowingly used the cleaning solution to wash-out William’s lung,” according to the Hannah Family’s attorney. 

The doctor realized what happened when he went to clean the surgical equipment following the procedure and asked for the detergent. The doctor tried to get as much out as possible but according to the Hannah Family’s attorney, his condition worsened, and he died the next day. 

The Hannah family is suing “to hold the hospital trust to account and to ensure lessons are learned,” and hearings will begin in Feb. 2019.