Kilkenny hospital apologises to family after mother-of-eight dies from heart attack
St Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny has apologised in the High Court to the family of a 68-year old woman who died of a heart attack two days after she was admitted to the hospital.
Mother of eight Bridget Tallis had a heart pacemaker inserted six days before she was admitted to St Luke’s Hospital Kilkenny three years ago with what was claimed were symptoms of fluid building up in the sac around her heart.
But the High Court heard there was an alleged failure to diagnose perforation of the right ventricle of her heart which is a known complication of pacemaker implantation and she died of cardiac arrest on March 27, 2015.
The family's counsel Patrick Treacy SC told Mr Justice Anthony Barr an initial diagnosis of sepsis was made but if an echocardiogram had been performed the fluid buildup - cardiac tamponade- would have been diagnosed and the fluid could have been drained.
If this had occurred on March 25 or 26, counsel said it is likely Mrs Tallis, who has 13 grandchildren, would have survived.
The apology was read to the court as part of a €250,000 settlement of an action by the family of Bridget Tallis, Lacken Drive, Kilkenny over the circumstances of her care at the Kilkenny hospital when she was brought to A&E vomiting.
St Luke's Hospital said it accepted responsibility for the circumstances leading to the death of Mrs Tallis and it "sincerely apologised" to the family members and their respective families.
The statement added: "The staff in St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny are truly sorry for the failure to diagnose the true cause of Mrs Tallis’s ill health during the period March 25 to March 27, 2015 and this is deeply regretted by all involved
The incalculable distress and grief that has been caused to you and to the members of your respective families by these shortcomings is sincerely regretted by all the persons who were involved in the care of the late Mrs Tallis during these dates.
The hospital said it wished to confirm that steps had been taken in relation to the recommendations handed down with a verdict of misadventure at the inquest into the death of Mrs Tallis.
Those recommendations included a review of the Tallis case with input from a cardiologist and a review of access to the hospital wards and emergency incidents due to the delay in access to the ward in this case.
"It is hoped these steps arising from the untimely death of the late Mrs Tallis now serves to significantly reduce the risk of the tragic circumstances giving rise to her from occurring again," the statement concluded.
Outside court Bridget's son John Tallis on behalf of the family said "a timely and appropriate intervention" would have prevented her death following admission post pacemaker insertion.
"The apology and admission of liability from St Luke's Hospital is a positive step for our family. We hope the hospital learns from this mistake and implements the findings so that no other family has to endure the suffering and loss we have had", he said.
John Tallis, Lacken Drive, Kilkenny had sued on behalf of all of his family members the HSE over the circumstances of her care in the days before she died.
Bridget Tallis underwent implantation of a permanent pacemaker in an operation at a Dublin hospital on March 19, 2015.
The procedure was conducted without negligence but Mrs Tallis suffered perforation of the right ventricle which is an acknowledged complication of pacemaker implantation.
It was claimed she developed symptoms of a build-up of fluid around the heart because of the perforation and attended A&E at St Luke's General Hospital, Kilkenny on March 25, 2015 and was admitted.
It was claimed her recent history was known from the time she attended A&E but it is alleged St Luke’s General Hospital failed to diagnose and or investigate the possibility of a perforation of the right ventricle of her heart.
As a result, it was alleged her condition remained untreated and she suffered cardiac arrest and died.
It is claimed had Mrs Tallis' condition been correctly diagnosed in an expeditious fashion, drainage could have been performed successfully and she would have survived the complication that arose from her pacemaker surgery.
The family claimed they have suffered mental distress as a result of the death of Mrs Tallis.
It was alleged that a diagnosis of sepsis was made to the exclusion of other possible diagnoses when there was allegedly no objective evidence of sepsis and when the hospital knew the recent medical history of Mrs Tallis.
Liability was admitted in the case last week and it was before the court for assessment of damages only.
Approving the settlement Mr Justice Barr said he hoped the court proceedings had brought closure for the family.
