Man survives sepsis and heart infection that began as toothache

A man from north Wales says a toothache nearly killed him. According to BBC News, Danny Ellis, 42, from Llanrwst in Conwy county, was told by doctors that he had only a 1% chance of survival. He is now at home, still recovering, and says he is grateful to the staff who treated him.

Mr Ellis first noticed tooth pain in April and visited a dentist, who prescribed antibiotics. The pain eased and returned several times over the following weeks. He later noticed he was losing strength, and red marks began to show on his body.

Collapse and hospital transfer

By Father’s Day on 21 June, Mr Ellis was confused and struggling to recall simple things. His wife, Ceri, found him lying on the sofa with bruises on his body. The couple visited their GP surgery in Betws-y-Coed on 23 June. After several tests, he was taken by ambulance to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

When Mr Ellis told staff about his toothache and antibiotic use, doctors ordered a heart scan. It revealed a hole in his mitral valve. Tests also showed that he had developed sepsis, a serious reaction to infection, and fluid had collected in his lungs. He was diagnosed with endocarditis, an uncommon condition in which the inner layer of the heart becomes swollen, usually because of an infection.

He was too unwell to travel at first. Doctors wanted to move him to Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool, but he stayed in Bangor until he was strong enough. Surgeons operated on his heart in Liverpool on 6 July, a procedure that took six hours.

A second operation and a long recovery

Mr Ellis said his brother was told the first operation had failed. Within a few days, doctors said they had obtained a device that could help his blood coagulate correctly, so they chose to attempt the procedure again. The second attempt worked: the infection was gone and the opening in the valve had been sealed.

Afterwards, he was told he had suffered a series of strokes. He said doctors described his survival as a miracle. He was moved back to Ysbyty Gwynedd to begin rehabilitation. He could not walk at first, but he said his progress was steady. Later he managed to walk with Harriet, his daughter, for the first time in months, a moment he found deeply moving.

He was discharged on 19 August. He says he still feels different on his left side and tires easily. His recovery is expected to last at least another 12 months, and he will likely need medication for the rest of his life.

Why the case matters

• Endocarditis usually occurs when bacteria or fungus enter the blood through the mouth or skin and reach the heart.
• Common symptoms include high temperature, headache, extreme tiredness, joint or muscle pain, night sweats, breathlessness, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss.
• Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to infection and can develop quickly.

Mr Ellis said his dentist was not at fault and that he had looked after his teeth carefully. He said the cause of his case remains unclear. He urged people to take persistent symptoms seriously. He also credited his wife for calling for help, saying that a delay of a day or two could have changed the outcome.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• BBC News: I almost died after a toothache led to sepsis and a rare heart condition

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