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Last Updated: Wednesday, 9 May 2007, 20:47 GMT 21:47 UK
Tonsils warning after woman dies
Kayleigh Kennard
Kayleigh Kennard dreamed of becoming a nurse
The family of an 18-year-old woman who died after a routine operation to remove her tonsils has called for greater awareness of the dangers.

Nursing assistant Kayleigh Kennard died from a haemorrhage at Worthing Hospital in West Sussex a week after surgery at the Princess Royal in Haywards Heath.

Her family, from Hove, East Sussex said she never imagined the tonsillectomy could lead to her death.

The Princess Royal's NHS trust said it offered the family sincere condolences.

Kayleigh had been discharged from the Princess Royal for several days when a blood vessel at the back of her throat burst in February.

Risks attached

"I think she knew she was going to die when she saw the amount of blood that came up," said her boyfriend, Dave King.

"She worked at a hospital - so she knew what was what."

The family say Kayleigh knew there were risks attached to the operation but would never have gone through with it if she had realised how serious they were.

Her father, Paul, said he believed patients should be kept in hospital longer after a tonsillectomy.

"We found information on the internet said that if you have secondary haemorrhaging it happens within three to four days," he said.

"I feel people should be kept in hospital until they know they are OK."

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said the risks of an operation were always discussed with patients in advance, including the remote possibility of serious complications.

More information on routine surgery is being called for


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