Dublin hospital expresses 'regret' over death of patient weeks after transplant

High Court reporter

St Vincent’s University Hospital has expressed regret to the family of a Cork woman who died weeks after a transplant operation.

Karen Mitchell, of Dromahane, Mallow, Co Cork, was 32 years old when she died at the Dublin hospital five years ago.

She had earlier been admitted to St Vincent's University Hospital for a pancreas and kidney transplant, but it was claimed she developed a leak complication and sepsis. She later died on April 22nd, 2018, at the hospital.

In a letter read to the High Court, St Vincent’s University Hospital said to the Mitchell family it wished to express “our regret for the care afforded to your much loved daughter and sister Karen whilst in our hospital which, we acknowledge, culminated in her untimely death on April 22, 2018”

It added: “We offer our sincere and deepest sympathy to you for her loss and for the grief and continuing sadness that her death has caused to your family.”

The family’s legal representative, Eugene Gleeson SC, told the court the case had been settled. The details of the settlement are confidential.

Ms Mitchell’s brother, Brian Mitchell, of Ballsbridge, Dublin, had on behalf of his family sued St Vincent’s Healthcare Group over the death of Karen Mitchell at St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin.

Ms Mitchell had been admitted to the hospital and had a simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant. It was claimed that her condition intensified leading to her death on April 22nd, 2018. Following an autopsy, it was claimed Karen’s cause of death was determined to be inflammatory response syndrome with sepsis due to an anastomotic leak.

In the proceedings it was claimed there was a failure to consider the possibility of an anastomotic leak on April 7th after a CT scan.

It was further claimed there was a failure to draw appropriate inference from the CT examination of the abdomen and pelvis on April 20th.

There was also an alleged failure to consider the possibility of obstruction of the anastomotic site and an alleged failure to aggressively manage the woman’s condition.

All the claims were denied.

Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds noted the settlement.