‘Sweetest’ student, 21, who died of a ‘dead stomach’ could have been saved if doctors had acted sooner
A 21-YEAR-OLD student described as ‘sweet’ and ‘genuine’ passed away after suffering from a twisted stomach, a condition typically seen in people over 80.
Melissa Zoglie, from Brighton, visited A&E with ‘excruciating’ tummy pains on April 17, but was discharged after doctors diagnosed her with a stomach ulcer.
After she collapsed the next day, Melissa was rushed into emergency surgery, where doctors discovered her stomach had effectively ‘died’ due to a gastric volvulus, when the stomach twists and blood supply to the organ is cut off.
Doctors involved in the 21-year-old’s care said they didn’t suspect she had the life-threatening condition as it’s “exceptionally rare in a woman of Melissa’s age”, The Argus reported.
“Senior clinicians used their best judgement to diagnose the symptoms she presented with, but tragically Melissa had an extraordinarily rare condition, especially for someone so young,” a spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said.
But documents from an internal investigation conducted by the trust – seen by BBC Newsnight – identified a “missed opportunity for earlier diagnosis” and suggested Melissa could have been saved if doctors had acted sooner.
Her ‘stomach was completely dead’
When Melissa, a student in international business management at the University of Law, London, visited A&E on April 17 with agonising stomach pains, doctors thought was suffering from gastritis – when the stomach lining is inflamed – or food poisoning.
Dr James Piper told an inquest hearing that Melissa seemed to be “feeling a little better” after a few hours in A&E and turned down an offer of stronger pain medication.
He said “there was no medical indication” that she needed surgery or a CT scan at the time.
The student was sent home, where she lived with her parents brothers, with meds to treat stomach ulcers.
Melissa saw a GP the following afternoon when her pain worsened, who seconded the hospital’s diagnosis of an ulcer, but collapsed when she returned home.
When she was readmitted to hospital, Melissa went into cardiac arrest and was rushed into emergency surgery.
Her surgeon, Dr Gnananandan Janakan, told the inquest the 21-year-old’s “stomach was completely dead” and there was nothing they could do.
The coroner at Melissa’s inquest concluded the student had died of natural causes.
But internal trust documents seen by the BBC noted that Melissa “should have been reviewed and examined by general surgery prior to discharge” and that “a surgical team review and a CT scan” should have been considered.
A review by a senior doctor in the trust who was not involved in the student’s treatment concluded her life “would have been saved” if surgery had been identified as “clinically necessary” when she first went to hospital on 17 April.
‘A once in a lifetime person’
Melissa’s parents Franklin and Antoinette Zoglie said they felt ‘let down’ by the trust’s handling of their daughter’s care.
They added that they’re looking to move out of their current home because it’s “not the same without her”.
A GoFundMe set up by Franklin to help cover the costs of the burial and funeral showed an outpouring of love and grief for Melissa.
Cheyenne Jackson-Jones said the 21-year-old “was one of the sweetest, most genuine people I have ever met”.
“She is truly a once in a lifetime person and I am glad to have known her. She was such an amazing, bright individual and will be dearly missed.”
Nonhlanhla Shange called her a ‘beautiful soul’, while Ann Butters described the student ‘lovely, fun and bubbly’.
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said: “We wish to extend our sincere condolences to Melissa’s family for their terrible and shocking loss.
“Senior clinicians used their best judgement to diagnose the symptoms she presented with, but tragically Melissa had an extraordinarily rare condition, especially for someone so young.”
“Such presentations are extremely challenging for staff trying to make the right decisions around tests and diagnostics, and the coroner agreed there was no clinical indication for further investigations at the time, concluding Melissa died from natural causes.”