THE death of a Bolton kidney patient which sparked an international medical alert was an accident, an inquest heard.

After detailed medical and technical evidence was presented to a three-hour hearing, Bolton coroner Martin Coppel recorded a verdict of accidental death on Aysha Seedat.

As exclusively revealed in the BEN earlier this year, concerns about parts of a device permanently fitted into Mrs Seedat's body so she could link up for dialysis, led to a worldwide recall of the equipment.

Widow Mrs Seedat was found dead at her home in Langthorne Walk, Deane, on February 7.

Police had to force their way in after her brother Ismail Pandor could not open the door.

She had bled to death after part of the extension adaptor tube on the Tesio catheter became dislodged.

The inquest heard that it was not certain how it had become dislodged.

But Mr Coppel ruled out any suggestion that 64-year-old Mrs Seedat or anyone else may have pulled it out deliberately.

Her family said today they did not wish to comment on the verdict or whether they would now consider suing the manufacturers of the device.

The inquest was told that Mrs Seedat had the catheter fitted to her so that she could link up with dialysis machines three times a week at Hope Hospital, Salford.

Consultant renal physician at the hospital, Dr Donal O'Donohue, told the inquest that although Mrs Seedat had serious kidney failure she was responding well to dialysis and faced a good prospect of going onto the stand-by list for a transplant.

During the hearing it was revealed that two different types of catheter device had been supplied by American company Medcomp around the world. And it was one of the second, alternative types with a slightly different design that became dislodged from Mrs Seedat's body.

As investigations developed the National Medical Devices Agency was alerted and they contacted American authorities.

It emerged that worldwide there had been two other deaths and five cases of people suffering serious bleeding connected with the device.

Detailed tests were carried out on the device after Mrs Seedat's death by the Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory (SMTL) in Bridgend, Wales.

SMTL deputy director Peter Philips told the inquest there were a number of possible reasons why the tube became dislodged and there was no definite conclusion.

Near the end of the inquest a memo received by Hope Hospital from Medcomp was presented to the coroner.

Mr Coppel said: "This information suggests that there was a manufacturing defect in one particular batch."

He added: "From the evidence I have heard, I think there was a mechanical failure, due to a lack of solvent and weakening of the structure. Why this particular batch should be like that I have no idea."

He said: "When it emerged that there was a problem I am satisfied that the concerns were reported promptly and correctly."

After the inquest Hope Hospital spokesman Amanda Thomas said: "We are pleased the investigation is now concluded, we extend our sympathies to the family and have no further comment to make."

Hope Hospital no longer buys the devices from Medcomp.

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