A Canberra Hospital doctor has told a coronial inquest that communication was chaotic within an emergency team treating a woman who later died.
Suki Thurairajah, 55, went to the Canberra Hospital in 2011 to receive dialysis but ended up brain dead after a breathing tube was incorrectly put down her oesophagus instead of her windpipe, pushing air into her stomach.
She was without oxygen for up to 10 minutes.
Less than two weeks later she was officially pronounced dead.
Today the doctor who incorrectly inserted the tube, first-year anaesthetics registrar Claire-Mary Thomsett, told the coronial inquest that she had not been assisted in inserting the tube as is required.
She said as a result, she had to remove a light she was holding that gave a view of the vocal chords and the correct passage of the tube down the throat.
Dr Thomsett also said communication in the emergency team was chaotic and the roles of the emergency team members were not made clear by the senior doctor present.
The hearing continues.
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