THE PARENTS of a 19-day-old baby who died after a heart operation insist lessons must be learned by hospital bosses to prevent further tragedies.

Zack Hider, who was born with a congenital heart defect, died after he was given four times the dose of a solution needed for a procedure on his heart at Southampton General Hospital, an inquest heard.

Giving a narrative verdict, Coroner Grahame Short ruled that the extra dose cause “excessive pressure”, damaging the newborn’s heart and ultimately leading to his death.

But he concluded he could not establish why such a high dose had been administered.

The infant, from Portsmouth, needed a procedure which involved either repairing ventricle defects or inserting a temporary shunt for an operation later.

Consultant paediatric surgeon Mr Kaarne opted for a full repair but was forced to abandon the operation halfway through after the youngster’s heart appeared “thickened” and “haemorrhagic”.

Zack had been connected to a by-pass machine, but when the mix of blood and chemicals needed to relax his heart was given to him, Zack’s heart became “stiff” and “looked bruised”.

Mr Kaarne told the court that perfusionist Richard Hartshorne told him the blood solution used to supply the youngster’s heart was at “high pressure”.

He said that he later discovered that the dose in the machine was “four to five times” more than it should have been for a patient his size.

The youngster was placed on a heart and lung machine with the hope of restarting surgery a few days later but he died nine days later. 

After the inquest lawyer John Bate-Williams read a statement on the court steps on behalf of Zack’s parents Gary and Sarah, who were too upset to speak to reporters.

The statement said: “We know our longed for and lovely son Zack faced a struggle for survival.

“We know there was a mistake but we know the hospital team was doing its best to give him the best chance of survival.

“We are all human and we all make mistakes.

“We hold no animosity. We know they were doing their best and will continue on their challenging role caring for babies.

“We know they will learn lessons to prevent further tragedy in the future.”

Zack's parents are now raising money in his memory. To donate, visit justgiving.com/GaryandSaraHider