‘Justice’ for family after hysterectomy death

THE husband of a woman who died following an elective hysterectomy at a private hospital said after an inquest at which a verdict of medical misadventure was recorded that they had “got justice” for his wife.

Linda Royal, 50, of Forest Green, Kingswood Heights, Tallaght, Dublin 24 was “very seriously ill” with multi-organ dysfunction and septicemia when she arrived at St James’s Hospital from Mount Carmel Hospital, Dublin on September 28, 2008.

She died the following day.

Speaking after the inquest, the family’s solicitor said there would be a civil action.

The mother of three had a vaginal hysterectomy at the private Dublin hospital on September 22, an inquest at Dublin City Coroner’s Court heard.

Upon her arrival in theatre at St James’s Hospital six days later, doctors found an extensive lack of blood supply (ischemia) to all the organs in Ms Royal’s abdomen, including the stomach, liver and the small and large bowel.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said by the time surgeon Narayanasamy Ravi saw Ms Royal (at St James’s Hospital) she was “very seriously ill” and “the situation was irretrievable”.

The inquest heard Ms Royal developed septicemia or blood poisoning caused by a rare gram negative bacteria following the procedure which led to multi-organ failure and septic shock with extensive lack of blood supply to the bowel.

The coroner said he was satisfied it was a post-operative complication of an elective procedure and he recorded a verdict of death by medical misadventure.

“As a consequence of the procedure an infection took hold,” he said, quoting the pathologist Dr Mairin McMenamin who gave evidence when the inquest opened in March.

The inquest did not establish the triggering event which caused the bacteria to enter Ms Royal’s system.

But the coroner stressed Ms Royal had no health problems, which indicated a “propensity” to lack of blood supply or bowel disease.

Speaking after the inquest her husband, Louis Royal, said they had got “justice” for his wife, who he described as a “beautiful woman”.

“We’re very happy now to move on,” said a visibly upset Mr Royal, who said he did not feel all of their questions had been answered.

Solicitor for the family, Damien Tansey, said through the civil action the balance of the questions would be answered.

“It’s clear... that Ms Royal was a sick woman for several days before she was transferred, beyond recovery, to St James’s Hospital from Mount Carmel,” said Mr Tansey.

The couple have three children, Deborah, 24, Keith, 27, and Shane, 14.

The heard Ms Royal was stable after the procedure on September 22 and was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection on day three after the operation.

The following day she complained of nausea and on September 27 she was prescribed laxatives.

The surgeon who did the procedure Dr Mona Joyce felt there was a delay in Ms Royal’s recovery that was due to constipation and laxatives were prescribed.

Picture: Louis Royal, his son Keith and daughter Deborah leaving Dublin City Coroner’s Court yesterday following the inquest into the death of his wife Linda in 2008 following a hysterectomy. Picture: Billy Higgins