Farmer died a day after routine hernia operation, court told

73-year-old Peter Wall died due to an accidental tear to his gullet during the hernia operation

St James's Hospital admitted liability in the case. File picture

A farmer who was admitted to St James’s Hospital, Dublin, for a routine surgical procedure died a day later after an accidental tear to his gullet during the hernia operation, the High Court has heard.

Father of four and grandfather, Peter Wall, was 73 years of age when he died at the Dublin Hospital.

The family’s counsel, Oisin Quinn SC instructed by Ciaran Tansey solicitor, told the court Mr Wall had had been admitted to St James’s Hospital for a routine hernia operation but it was not spotted that there was an accidental tear of his oesophagus which led to internal bleeding and his death the following day.

Counsel said liability was admitted in the case. Mr Wall’s s widow, Mary Wall of Timahoe, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, had sued St James’s Hospital, Dublin, over the death of her husband and for nervous shock.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, and the case was before the court for the ruling of the statutory €35,000 solatium mental distress payment.

Mr Wall was described as the brains behind the family at the 70-acre dairy farm, in the proceedings. It was claimed his family suffered great distress at the death and were particularly upset by the manner of Mr Wall’s death. 

Mr Wall, it said, was a much-loved husband, father, grandfather and brother and all the family suffered great distress at his death.

Course of events

He was admitted to St James’s Hospital on November 2, 2015, for a laparoscopic repair of a diaphragmatic hernia but during the course of the surgery, it was claimed he accidentally suffered a significant laceration to his oesophagus.

It was contended that the laparoscopic ports were closed without knowledge that the injury had occurred and Mr Wall was taken to recovery.

After the operation, Mr Wall suffered a cardiac arrest due to hypovolaemic shock as a result of a massive haemorrhage at the site. He was returned to theatre where a 6cm oesophageal tear was sutured. However, it was claimed there had already been a massive bleed internally.

Mr Wall remained in hypovolaemic shock and required cardiovascular support. He died around lunchtime on November 3, 2015. The Dublin Coroner two years later presiding over an inquest into Mr Wall’s death ruled it was due to medical misadventure.

In the proceedings, it was claimed there was a failure to notice the tear had been caused to the oesophagus and the laparoscopic port had been closed and Mr Wall returned to recovery when he was in fact suffering a massive haemorrhage.

St James’s Hospital admitted liability in the case.