A 10-year-old girl, Violet Nasailasila-Mazur, underwent emergency surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital after her appendix burst, following two misdiagnoses at Maroondah Hospital. Doctors had dismissed her severe abdominal pain as a stomach bug on two separate visits, despite her mother, Felicity Mazur, expressing serious concerns.
Violet first attended Maroondah’s emergency department on Sunday and returned on Wednesday, experiencing worsening pain, nausea, vomiting, high fever, weakness, pallor, and sweating. On both occasions, only a urine test was conducted, and requests for blood tests or imaging were ignored. Pain relief was delayed or denied, leaving Violet in severe discomfort.
Desperate, Ms Mazur took Violet to a GP, who immediately referred her to the Royal Children’s Hospital, where doctors diagnosed peritonitis caused by a burst appendix and performed emergency surgery.
Eastern Health has classified the case as a “serious adverse patient safety event” and confirmed they will cooperate fully with any review. The case raises concerns about the safety and effectiveness of paediatric services across Eastern Health, which have previously been flagged by the Australian Medical Association Victoria for stretched services and multi-site operation limitations.
A Victorian Government spokesperson said initiatives such as Safer Care for Kids are being implemented to ensure parental concerns are adequately heard and acted upon.
