A great-grandmother died while undergoing a hip replacement after suffering a rare reaction to the bone cement used in the procedure.

The family of Kathleen Knight, are now calling for more to be done to raise awareness of Bone Cement Implantation Syndrome (BCIS) - a condition affecting as few as 1 in 100,000 people.

Mrs Knight, 84, died after needing an operation after a fall at her home in James Terry Court, South Croydon.

It was near the end of the hip replacement procedure at Croydon University Hospital on May 9 when Mrs Knight's blood pressure dropped and she suffered cardiac arrest.

It was found to be the result of BCIS. The condition causes abnormal heart rhythms and pulmonary hypertension. It cannot be detected by tests.

Mrs Knight's son Ted has called on more to be done to explain the risk of the condition to patients and family before procedures.

About 70,000 people have hip replacements in the UK each year. No figures were available for how many die as a result of BCIS.

He said: "The doctor said they explained the risk of using the cement to her, but an 84 year old who was very anxious- I am not sure she would have taken it in.

"It would have been better for them to contact the family and inform us, we would be able to talk it through with her and be fully aware of the risks."

Mr Knight said since his mother's death he had carried out a lot of research into BCIS.

He said: "It is not common at all, but the research shows when it does hit it is fatal. As a family we feel there is not enough known about BCIS and the risks are not explained properly to patients.

"I have managed to download a small pamphlet from the States that explains the risks. We should have something like that here.

"I have peace of mind the operating team did everything they could to save her, but at the same time I am a little bit annoyed the risks were not explained to the family."

The reaction to the cement used to hold the hip joint in place affects a patient's circulation and causes a sudden decrease or increase in blood pressure and an abnormal heart rhythm.

Anaesthetist Dr Srinivasan Dhileepan, consultant anaesthetist, told the inquest: "You don't expect cardio collapse it is a shock, but it does happen.

"We anticipate difficulties but try to reduce them as much as we can."

Coroner Roy Palmer recorded a verdict of death as a result of complications during necessary medical treatment.