The HSE and Midland Regional Hospital has apologised for the death of a 33-year old woman following an operation.
The apology was read to the High Court under a settlement, which incuded a payment of €500,000, of an action by the family of Suzanne Hannon over her death in 2014 following an intestine procedure.
Midland Regional Hospital manager Kay Slevin said: “On behalf of the HSE and the hospital, I would like to sincerely apologise to you and your family for the tragic death of Suzanne. Suzanne was a young wife and mother whose death following an elective surgical procedure was unexpected.”
Peter Bland SC said the case related to the tragic death of Ms Hannon, whose son was aged just seven at the time. Liability had been admitted in the case. James Hannon, of Croghan, Co Offaly, sued the HSE over the death of his wife on September 13th, 2014.
In an affidavit, Mr Hannon said his wife had a history of Crohn’s disease and, in the period prior to her death, had been admitted to the hospital with acute abdominal pain.
She was reviewed in the clinic on a number of dates and had a colonoscopy at the end of August 2014 and underwent surgery on September 1st, 2014. Despite her condition, it was decided to perform an anastomosis, he said.
He claimed she suffered a leak following that procedure and there was a delay in recognising this until September 4th, by which time she was suffering from sepsis. Another procedure was carried out but she continued to deteriorate and died on September 13th, 2014.
Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Kevin Cross said offered his sincere sympathy to the family.
