Doctor testifies Mottley had a collapsed lung, not sepsis

A doctor who diagnosed Warren Mottley as having atelectasis – a collapsed lung – is sticking by that conclusion, insisting that during the time she treated him he did not exhibit any signs of sepsis.

Dr Courtney Chase, a medical practitioner at Surgical Solutions Inc., maintained that position on Tuesday under cross-examination by the Mottley family’s lead attorney and father of the deceased, Queen’s Counsel Sir Elliot Mottley, when the Coroner’s Inquest continued in the Supreme Court.

The younger brother of Prime Minister Mia Mottley died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) on June 29, 2021, and according to the pathologist report, he died from sepsis.

Under questioning from Sir Elliot, Dr Chase admitted that while she was concerned that Mottley hadn’t passed urine after his surgery on June 27, 2021, at no time did he show any symptoms of having sepsis.

Dr Chase also refuted the Queen’s Counsel’s suggestion that Mottley’s inability to pass urine was based on the fact that his kidneys were not functioning properly.

“During my time with Mr Mottley, his respiratory rate was normal and he had a normal temperature and those findings are not in keeping with sepsis,” she told the court presided over by Magistrate Graveney Bannister.

Dr Chase said while monitoring Mottley’s condition she also became concerned when his blood pressure dropped and his saturation level fell.

As a result, she called a superior to report the developments and they both felt that atelectasis was responsible for Mottley’s low oxygen levels.

“I discussed this with another doctor and he was in agreement with the likely cause of the low oxygen levels and that’s why we ordered the morphine at that time,” Dr Chase said.

“In retrospect, that diagnosis was wrong?” Sir Elliot asked the doctor.

“I don’t agree,” Dr Chase responded.

“So you’re saying that Warren’s lungs collapsed?” the Queen’s Counsel further questioned.

“Yes. Atelectasis is the most common cause of low oxygen levels after surgery,” she explained.

Also taking the stand was surgical consultant at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Dr Margaret O’Shea.

Reading a statement that was given to police, Dr O’Shea said she was called by a colleague on June 28, 2021, around 1 p.m. to review Mottley, who had been operated on the day before.

She said she was informed that he had undergone a colonoscopy the week prior but had subsequently returned complaining of abdominal pain.

Dr O’Shea said Mottley underwent another surgery after it was determined there was an obstruction in the small bowel.

She said Mottley’s condition deteriorated following that surgery and he developed respiratory distress.

Mottley was eventually admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at the QEH.

Dr O’Shea said a decision was subsequently made to move Mottley to the operating theatre and his family was updated on the development.

After that surgery, Mottley remained incubated in the SICU but was not maintaining adequate oxygenation and by the next morning, his condition had deteriorated.

Dr O’Shea said there was a suggestion that another operation be performed, and it was her opinion that would not help. However, she said, a decision was taken to do another surgery on Mottley to confirm that nothing else could be done to control the infection.

“…The consensus was that the patient was in irreversible shock. The family was informed that the patient would not survive…,” she recalled.

Dr O’Shea said Mottley was then placed on ventilation but died later that evening.