"they've basically killed him and that's how we see it."
A hospital trust has apologised to the parents of a three-year-old boy who died from severe bleeding after his artery was pierced by a trainee doctor during a routine procedure.
Aarav Chopra, from Wolverhampton, died during a biopsy at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in 2023. The procedure came after his body rejected a previous liver transplant.
A biopsy is a routine test in which a small sample of tissue or cells is taken for examination. However, during Aarav’s procedure, his artery was pierced by a trainee doctor, leading to severe internal bleeding.
Aarav suffered a cardiac arrest caused by a build-up of blood in his chest. A coroner later concluded that neglect contributed to his death.
His mother, Amrita Chopra, said: “The strain it’s put on us as a family has killed us.
“Because we took Aarav to a really good place, like he was in the best place for his care, and then they’ve basically killed him and that’s how we see it.
“It’s heartbreaking but we definitely don’t want other families to go through what we have been through.”
An inquest found Aarav’s death was “contributed to by neglect” and ruled it was preventable.
A prevention of future deaths report was also issued, highlighting serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding the biopsy.
Among the issues raised was confusion over the experience level of the doctor performing the procedure. The clinician was believed to be a year six trainee but was later found to be a year four trainee.
Aarav’s father, Kishore Chopra, said the family had not been informed that a trainee would carry out the procedure.
He said: “Aarav was the most adorable little boy and, despite everything he went through with his transplant, was always smiling and happy.
“He brought sunshine to our lives and the world is a much darker place without him.
“We hoped his transplant would be a new start in life for Aarav.
“It remains difficult to accept that he went into hospital for what we thought would be a relatively routine biopsy and never came home.”
The family said they struggled to get answers in the aftermath of Aarav’s death but have since settled a legal claim against the hospital trust.
The trust admitted that, on the balance of probabilities, Aarav’s cardiac arrest and death “would have been avoided” with appropriate care.
Catherine Lee, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Whilst the trust has recognised the severity of the failings Aarav suffered and the need for improvements, it’s now vital that staff are supported to uphold the highest standard of care at all times.”
Dr Satish Rao, chief medical officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust, added:
“We offer our sincere condolences to Aarav’s family and loved ones.
“We know that the standard of care provided did not meet those expected and for this we are truly sorry and have admitted full liability.
“Following Aarav’s death, changes were made to our processes to improve patient care and we are committed to sustaining these improvements in his memory.”
The trust said measures have since been introduced to strengthen procedures and prevent similar incidents, following the coroner’s recommendations.
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