Operation on haemophiliac boy was vital, inquest told

An operation carried out on a young haemophiliac, who died three days after surgery at a Dublin hospital, was necessary for his continued treatment, an inquest heard today.

Pierce Nowlan was admitted to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin, on October 11, 2004, to have a device fitted into a vein that would have allowed the regular injections of a blood-clotting agent.

But the two-year-old lost one and a half times his blood count following surgery after an artery was punctured as medics attempted to insert a canula.

Professor Owen Smith, a consultant paediatric haematologist, said the procedure was necessary as gaining access to little Pierce’s veins to insert the required injections had become difficult.

He said: “Poor venous problems were encountered among young boys with severe haemophilia.”

Prof. Smith said most young haemophiliac children would have the device fitted to aid in their treatment.

The inquest heard that in May and June of 2004 the National Haematology Services were transferred from Tallaght Hospital to Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children.

Prof. Smith said the way the procedure was carried out differed between the two hospitals but one method was not favoured over the other.

The inquest heard little Pierce was one of the first children with severe haemophilia A with inhibitors to have the procedure carried out in the unit at the Crumlin hospital.