air embolism

That would cause an air embolism - a blockage caused by an air bubble in the blood circulation.

He said he had read 18 research papers in total on air embolism, highlighting different indications.

“The lack of a tight seal from this defect resulted in the multiple subsequent air embolism events and irrecoverable neurological damage,” they wrote.

Dr Marnerides said in his opinion there was "no evidence that a natural disease would explain his death" and concluded that death was "explicable on the basis of air embolism".

He said the "very peculiar" patches noted on Child E by medics in the hours before his death were a result of air embolism.