Doctors defend care of woman, 74, who died after being hit by car
Kerry General Hospital (KGH) consultant surgeon Mr Kevin Murray and consultant anaesthetist Dr Sean Gibbons told an inquest yesterday that Anne Hartnett, 74, from 113 St Brendan’s Park, Tralee in Co Kerry, who died last year, had access to senior hospital experts and an intensive care bed from the moment she was admitted.
Dr Gibbons said it was unlikely, given her age, that she would recover from a condition called adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), associated with her rib injuries.
Ms Hartnett was knocked down in Tralee town centre on September 19, 2007. She suffered five fractured ribs.
She had been hit from behind when a car driven by Dan Diggins mounted the footpath.
She died in Cork University Hospital (CUH) on December 1, 2007.
Cork City Coroner’s Court was told that Mr Diggins had suffered a seizure just seconds before the accident.
Ms Hartnett was rushed to KGH where she was admitted fully conscious but with laboured breathing.
She was placed on a machine to help her breathe and ease the pressure on her lungs.
Mr Murray described her rib fractures as a severe injury but her family said they were given no indication until a week later as to how serious the injuries were.
Ms Hartnett developed an irregular heartbeat and was put on a life support machine two weeks later.
She suffered a heart attack on September 26 and on October 4, doctors discovered she had suffered a stroke.
She was transferred to CUH on November 24 where she died a week later.
Ms Hartnett’s son Joe, questioned the consultants yesterday as to why his mother had been moved from the intensive care unit to a coronary care unit given her serious condition and possible complications.
But Mr Murray said KGH has just five intensive care beds to cater for a population of 140,000 people.
“We had to juggle her around but she had an intensive care bed the whole time. We manage this all the time,” he said.
The cause of death was bronchial pneumonia with ARDS following blunt force trauma to the chest with fractured ribs due to a road traffic accident with contributory factors of heart disease and stroke.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.
“This is one of those very tragic unforeseen things that happens in life,” said Dr Cullinane.
