Man’s death linked to badly-fitted catheter

INQUEST HEARS EX-TEACHER SUFFERED INJURY DURING PROCEDURE WHICH CAUSED BLEEDING

THE death of a former headmaster was accelerated by an injury caused when a catheter was fitted badly in hospital, an inquest heard.

Brian Comerford, 79, was admitted to Wythenshawe Hospital in January 2014 when he started to feel unwell after a family meal, suffering from a suspected chest infection.

Consultants decided to fit him with a catheter to monitor his fluids.

But an inquest at Manchester Coroners Court heard that doctors breached hospital policy when the first attempt at fitting the catheter was unsuccessful.

The inquest was told that in line with procedure, if unsuccessful, medics should contact the hospital’s urology department before trying again.

However, Dr Walid Alali told the inquest he had continued with a second ultimately successful attempt using a smaller catheter, without contacting the department.

He said the procedure to notify the urology department was not ‘practical’ in the context of a busy hospital ward, but that he would have done so had he failed a second time.

The process caused an injury to Mr Comerford’s urethra and resulted in bleeding.

Stephen Jones, a lawyer representing Mr Comerford’s family, said the fatherof-two, from Bramhall, Stockport, had been left for 18 hours before senior doctors responded to the bleeding, which leaked onto his bed.

Following his death, the hospital conducted an internal investigation.

Giving evidence, Mr Comerford’s wife Francis said she was left ‘distraught’ on reading the report, which she said contained a details of a ‘catalogue of mistakes.’ The inquest was told there was a lack of communication between hospital staff about the incident.

Mrs Comerford added: “I am concerned as to what information was being provided by the doctors who saw Brian and their failure to recognise the need to escalate it upwards.” Mr Comerford died on March 21, 2014, after spending more than two months in hospital, from a cardiac arrest. His family has instructed Mr Jones and firm Leigh Day to take legal action against the hospital after the conclusion of the inquest.

Mr Comerford had previously recovered from prostate cancer in 2002, and was later diagnosed with a heart condition.

He suffered from a number of infections during his time in hospital, and had to undergo two operations following the injury to his urethra.

The inquest, led by senior coroner Nigel Meadows, is expected to conclude today.

Proceeding Francis Comerford