19-month-old girl dies of cancer just weeks after doctor TWICE misdiagnosed a malignant tumor as constipation
The 19-month-old child was misdiagnosed twice by Dr. Abdul Bhutto when the doctor prescribed constipation medicine when the girl was suffering from cancer.
A 19-month-old girl died of cancer after a doctor misdiagnosed a tumor in her bowel as constipation.
The unnamed child was seen twice by Dr Abdul Bhutto at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
In both cases he prescribed constipation medicine, although the young man’s mother found a blood clot in the child’s nappy.
The girl was actually suffering from neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects infants and children.
Nine days after his second visit, he collapsed and was taken to Glasgow for specialist treatment but later died.
19-month-old girl dies of cancer at Raigmore Hospital after being misdiagnosed twice (pictured)
Dr. Bhutto, a doctor with nearly 40 years of experience, was working as a paediatrician. He was suspended for a month by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service after being found guilty of gross misconduct.
The tribunal found Dr Bhutto failed to take into account ‘information provided by family members’. He also failed to get a second opinion or arrange for an X-ray. On October 20, 2019, the mother first brought the child to the hospital after noticing blood clots and a lump in the child’s abdomen. Dr. Bhutto prescribed an enema.
He saw the child, referred to as Patient A, a second time on November 6 and again diagnosed constipation.
The girl died on November 25, five weeks after they first met. A specialist pediatrician who reviewed the case said in a report: ‘Dr Bhutto’s lack of adequate examination skills seriously lowered the standard of care.
‘Therefore Patient A was not diagnosed at a time when the tumor could have been managed, before he became seriously ill.’
In a letter to the tribunal, Dr Bhutto said he was ‘deeply sorry for his tragic fate’.
He continued: ‘I admit my mistakes, have educated myself and will continue to keep up to date to ensure no mistakes of this nature are repeated.’
NHS Highland offered its ‘heartfelt condolences’ to the family and confirmed that Dr Bhutto will no longer work for NHS Highland.