A woman died in Southmead Hospital after being treated for dehydration, an inquest heard.

Tina Heath, 30, suffered fluid on her lungs after doctors attempted to rehydrate her following a serious bout of diarrhoea and sickness.

Miss Heath was admitted to the assessment ward at Southmead on October 26, 2007, after suffering with a sickness bug for almost a week.

She died on November 1 after being transferred to the intensive care unit.

The inquest at Flax Bourton Coroner's Court heard that notes detailing Miss Heath's medical background were missing when she was admitted to hospital. But doctors who were questioned said that they did not believe their treatment would have been any different if they had held such information.

Deputy assistant coroner Terence Moore started the inquest hearing again yesterday, after it had begun in December last year and adjourned.

He used the transcripts of statements previously given by Miss Heath's mother, Patricia, and the pathologist who conducted the postmortem.

Dr Charles Case said that Miss Heath passed away after part of her bowel died and she suffered bleeding and peritonitis, where an infection causes inflammation.

Miss Heath, of Manor Farm, was born with dwarfism, had mild arthritis, asthma, heart problems and was taking ulcer medication.

Dr Begona Bovill, consultant on C ward, told the inquest that she first saw Miss Heath when she was admitted to the ward in July 2007 suffering with severe anaemia.

The source of the problem could not be found but Dr Bovill said that she was concerned her patient could be suffering from an ulcer and feared that it could bleed.

She was concerned because ulcers could be a "time bomb" and wanted to keep Miss Heath in hospital so that a closer look could be taken inside her stomach using a special camera.

But Dr Bovill said that on three occasions Miss Heath, who was a baker and confectioner before being forced to retire due to ill health, cancelled appointments for the endoscopy procedure and it was never confirmed that she had an ulcer.

By the time she saw Miss Heath on October 31, the patient was already suffering breathing difficulties, the inquest heard.

She was being given fluid through a drip, but got to the point where it started to build up on her lungs.

Dr Bovill said: "When we rehydrate we want to make sure we do not over hydrate."

She said that Miss Heath became swollen, with swollen tissues and her heart rate became fast, which is a sign of fluid on the lungs.

Dr Bovill said: "There comes a time when a patient can reach the point where it is very hard to recover fluid from the lungs because that compromises the breathing.

"This is something we try to avoid this, but it does happen."

The doctor was questioned about whether the amount of fluid Miss Heath was given had reflected her small frame, something her mother had brought up at the original hearing in December.

Dr Bovill said: "It was not specifically mentioned because hydration is not an exact science."

Nick Brown, representing Miss Heath's parents, of Lockleaze, questioned Dr Bovill and surgeon Mr Justin Morgan about X-ray reports that suggested there were signs of a potential blockage in the 30-year-old's bowel.

But the clinicians told the inquest that Miss Heath's other symptoms indicated that a possible blockage was not a likely cause of her deteriorating condition.

Mr Morgan said: "X-rays are just a guide to what is going on. We treat the patient rather than the X-rays.

"If I had been showed the X-rays when I saw Tina I would have acted in the same way. She did not act as someone with a mechanical obstruction, but someone with diarrhoea and vomiting."

The inquest continues.