Man diagnosed with tonsillitis dies 24 hours later of a heart attack

A dad-of-one died just 24 hours after a bungling doctor refused to send him to ER – telling him he had tonsillitis.

Michael Reynolds, 29, was told to rest after he initially went to his GP complaining of a sore and swollen throat.

He was sent home with a steroid nasal spray, but when his symptoms got worse and he was unable to swallow, he was seen by a different doctor the next day.

Despite being questioned about whether he needed to attend the ER, the doctor brushed off his concerns and diagnosed him with tonsillitis and prescribed him oral antibiotics.

After collecting his prescription from the pharmacy, Michael returned home with his wife, Charlotte, where he collapsed.

The HGV driver, who had just become a dad to his son Jacob months earlier, was rushed to the hospital, but he died the next morning.

A post-mortem revealed he had suffered a cardiac arrest triggered by a lack of oxygen due to his throat closing.

An inquest into his death in December 2023 found there had been a “missed opportunity” to send him to the ER for urgent treatment.

His devastated family has now instructed medical negligence solicitors Irwin Mitchell to investigate his care.

Michael’s grieving widow, Charlotte, 31, said: “Watching Jacob grow up without his daddy by his side is devastating, and we miss Michael every single day.

“Michael meant everything to us, and losing him has left a huge hole in our lives that will never go away. We’d do anything to bring him back.

“The inquest and reliving everything again has been particularly upsetting, but at least I now have some answers as to why Michael’s no longer with us, and I will be able to explain this to Jacob when he is old enough to understand.

“All I can hope for now is that by sharing our story, it can lead to improvements in care for others and more awareness around the signs of epiglottitis and the need for emergency treatment, as it’s something I’d never even heard of before.

“I wouldn’t want anyone going through what we have.”

Michael, from Boston, Lincs., spoke to his GP on November 29, 2023, complaining of a cough of around two to three months along with a sore and swollen throat.

He was prescribed a steroid nasal spray and referred for a chest X-ray.

However, his symptoms worsened, and the following morning, he was offered an urgent in-person appointment.

He was seen by a different GP, and reported being unable to eat or swallow, and that his throat was closing up.

He had a high fever and was spitting into a bowl because he was unable to swallow his saliva.

He was diagnosed with tonsillitis and prescribed oral antibiotics.

An inquest at Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court heard the GP didn’t provide him with “robust” advice to be admitted to the ER.

Michael and his wife Charlotte went to the pharmacy to collect the medication that he had been prescribed, before going home.

Later that morning, he collapsed and had a seizure.

Charlotte called an ambulance, and Michael was taken to the hospital but died the next morning on December 1.

The coroner concluded Michael died from a hypoxic cardiac arrest related to an upper airway obstruction and epiglottitis – swelling of the flap that covers the windpipe when swallowing.

The coroner found there was a “missed opportunity” adding that had Michael gone to the ER, he may have been transferred to resuscitation earlier.

It was also recognised that staff there would likely be more familiar with symptoms of epiglottitis.

The family’s lawyer Rosie Charlton, said: “This is a truly tragic case where a young dad has lost his life.

“Charlotte and the rest of Michael’s family are understandably struggling to come to terms with losing him so suddenly and unexpectedly, and under such circumstances.

“They’ve also had a number of concerns about the events that unfolded in the lead-up to Michael’s death.

“Worryingly, the inquest has validated those concerns.

“While we’re pleased to have been able to secure the answers that Michael’s family deserve, it’s now vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety and help prevent others from suffering in the way Michael did.”

MFL – COMMENT FROM NHS TRUST