The widow of a man who died following kidney surgery at Bon Secours Hospital in Cork is to receive 250,000 Euros compensation for operation errors following an investigation into his death in November 2004.
Patrick Hayes, formally of Middleton, County Cork, was a man of general good health prior to his admission into hospital to have a kidney removed. However during the operation a slight ooze of liquid from the spleen was detected and surgical gauze was applied. Patrick was taken to the intensive care unit at the hospital following the operation, but suffered a substantial haemorrhage and died during attempts to resuscitate him.
A post-mortem into Patrick´s death established that there had been a blood clot surrounding his spleen and more than two litres of blood had collected in the peritoneal cavity.
Patrick´s wife, Nora, made a personal injury claim against the hospital, alleging that nursing staff were aware that Patrick was in a serious condition but failed to respond. The claim was denied by Bon Secours Hospital, but in an out-of-court settlement they agree to a payment of compensation for operation errors without admission of liability.