Grandad, 63, died days after getting small cut between his toes from fall at home

A grandad died just days after getting a small between two of his toes after having a fall at home.

The ‘much-loved’ Christopher Bradbury sustained the little slice to his right foot on 28 December, 2023, and it seemed to be just an innocuous injury, an inquest heard.

But after his health getting worse and worse in the days that followed, the 63-year-old was rushed to hospital and admitted to Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent.

Bradbury was experiencing symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting and within eight days of getting the cut on his foot, he tragically died. The cut had led to him experiencing severe multi-organ failure and severe septic shock.

The coroner says an earlier scan would have got the diagnosis faster (Google Maps)

An inquest heard how the man, from Trentham, had suffered a rare ‘Severe Invasion Soft Tissue Infection’ which can aggressively spread around the body.

And the coroner has now warned how more deaths could be caused unless there is greater awareness due to a ‘national lack of knowledge of Severe Invasive Soft Tissue Infections’.

It was said that when sepsis was suspected, an orthopaedic registrar ordered an urgent MRI scan to determine the cause of the swelling to his leg and the lesion on his toe, but this was not completed.

The diagnosis of Invasive Soft Tissue Infection was then made two days later on 4 January. By this point, Bradbury was too unwell for an MRI scan and was taken to theatre for surgeons to perform a below the knee operation.

Unfortunately, the grandad did not recovery from this surgery and passed away on 5 January.

Staffordshire Coroner Emma Serrano said that he could have been given an MRI sooner and therefore, been diagnosed earlier, but puts it down to the lack of knowledge around the infections that halted this. Although, she did note that it may not have prevented his death.

Christopher died in January 2024 (funeral-notices.co.uk)

Serrano said: “It was accepted in evidence that the issue giving rise to the delay in the MRI scan was down to a lack of knowledge of Severe Invasive Soft Tissue Infections, that are not (but are closely related to) necrotising fasciitis.”

She has now written a Prevention of Future Deaths report and added: “In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken.”

Authorities have until 29 April to respond to Serrano’s report.

An obituary for Bradbury, a dad of three and grandad of three, says the ‘cherished’ man will be ‘very fondly remembered and sadly missed by his family and friends’.