Fiona, 25, went to a large teaching hospital to have a wisdom tooth removed under local anaesthetic:

• Although the dentist knew she was allergic to natural rubber latex, a syringe with an NRL bung was inadvertently used
• Because of natural rubber transferred from the bung Fiona suffered an Anaphylactic reaction.
• Fiona suffered an anaphylactic reaction. She spent the next few days in the intensive treatment unit, where she had several more anaphylactic reactions.
  

Nicola, 28, called her local ambulance service to treat an anaphylactic reaction to NRL in a consumer product (hair glue):

• Ambulance workers attempted to treat Nicola with standard resuscitation equipment but her symptoms worsened and Nicola died
• Ambulance service could not subsequently confirm that only latex-free equipment was used during resuscitation though plans were afoot to make latex-free packs available on all ambulances.
  

Paula, 37, called local ambulance service to treat an anaphylactic reaction:

• Ambulance did not have latex-free equipment to deal with Paula’s condition, so used latex equipment instead.
• Paula subsequently suffered a worsening of symptoms and a second anaphylactic reaction.
  
  

Comments

"There was clearly room in my daughter's case for more education by all concerned.If she had been among people who understood, I feel she would have been here today.Every ambulance should be carrying this latex-free kit. Nicola wasn't able to tell them she had a latex allergy - but if they didn't use it in the first place there wouldn't have been a problem."
- Nicola’s mother, Delores

"Although I have been in touch with the Ambulance Service on numerous occasions and we have been assured that the ambulances are now latex free, the crew were unable to treat her in any way. They could not even give her oxygen. They had no non-latex equipment at all. We might just as well have called a taxi. As a result of Paula's experience and a lot of letter writing, all EMAS ambulances are now latex free"
- Paula’s husband, Bob

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