Circumstances of woman's surgery death 'unknown'
AN investigation into how a woman in her 50s died after a routine hysterectomy were hampered by failures by hospital staff and procedures, a coroner said yesterday.
Office worker Ann McKee died in May 2004 after the operation at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.
At the final hearing of her inquest yesterday afternoon, coroner Brian Sherrard said the circumstances leading to her death "remain unknown".
Criticising the subsequent investigation into the Ballymoney woman's death, he said it was "seriously hampered by the fact excised tissue was not retained for examination".
"It does little to alleviate suspicions that will linger in the minds of the community and family," he said in his closing statement.
Mrs McKee, a 52-year-old widow, was admitted to the Causeway Hospital on April 19, 2004 for a hysterectomy. Her operation took place on April 20. She was discharged on April 23 only to be re-admitted later that day with abdominal pains.
Over the next four days a series of tests were carried out, and while the possibility of a perforation was suggested it went unidentified, despite "persuasive radiological evidence".
She underwent a second operation but was transferred to the intensive care unit when her condition deteriorated, where she died a month later.
Coroner Sherrard declared her death was caused by "multiple organ failure due to internal abdominal sepsis, due to perforation of the large intestine, against a background of a vaginal hysterectomy".
But he said while counsel for the family and hospital had agreed not to pursue an Article Two inquest - where a public investigation by an independent body would assess the circumstances surrounding the death to determine whether anybody should bear responsibility - there were a number of issues which caused him "grave concern".
He noted the quality of communication, continuation of care, and the auditing procedures in effect in the hospital at the time were cause for "particular concern".
However, he said he was reassured that these matters had been addressed, and new procedures implemented, in the intervening five years.
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