Girl awarded £2.8m after syringe mix-up caused brain damage

A 10-year-old girl has been awarded £2.8m compensation after she was left brain damaged because doctors injected her brain with glue.

A 10-year-old girl has been awarded £2.8m compensation after she was left brain damaged because doctors injected her brain with glue.

Maisha Najeeb was being treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital for a rare condition that caused her arteries and veins to become entangled.

The treatment involved two injections, one with a medical glue to prevent her arteries from bleeding, and one to add a dye to her blood so that the flow around the brain could be monitored. The procedure was relatively straightforward and Maisha had gone through it several times.

However, on one occasion in 2010, the doctors administering the injections got the syringes mixed up, and the glue was injected directly into Maisha’s brain. She was left permanently brain damaged and will need 24-hour care for the rest of her life.

The hospital admitted liability for Maisha’s injuries and was ordered to pay a lump sum of £2.8m plus £383,000 a year until she is 19, and £423,000 for the rest of her life.

Sadir Hussain, Maisha’s father spoke outside the court: “We are sad and devastated by what happened to our daughter. Her life is ruined.”

Madeline Seibert, Partner in the Medical Negligence Department said: “This is a particularly tragic case in which a young girl’s life has been destroyed by a simple error that could and should have easily been avoided. No amount of money can compensate for what she has lost, but the award will at least enable her family to look after her in the best possible way.”

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