A father of three who went into hospital for a straightforward day procedure died of water intoxication after drinking an excessive amount of water, the High Court has heard.
The family of Sean O’Donnell (59) has settled a High Court action over the business manager’s death at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin five years ago.
Counsel Declan Doyle SC, instructed by solicitor Stuart Gilhooly, told the court that Mr O’Donnell “was unfortunately encouraged and advised to drink excessive amounts of water” while he was in hospital after the procedure and he suffered water intoxication.
Mr Doyle told the court the water intoxication caused cerebral oedema, seizures, cardiac arrest and the death of Mr O’Donnell.
He said Mr O’Donnell had gone in to St Vincent’s Hospital on the morning of January 20th, 2020, for the procedure under local anaesthetic. Mr Doyle said the procedure went off without incident and afterwards Mr O'Donnell was encouraged to drink water.
Mr O’Donnell was pronounced dead after 7pm on January 20th, 2020.
Water intoxication or water poisoning is when you have more water in your body than you need and it causes a chemical imbalance that the body is unable clear out naturally and decreases electrolytes, especially sodium, in the body.
Noting the settlement and the division of the statutory €35,000 mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was indeed a very shocking case.
Mr O’Donnell’s partner, Gail McGuinness of Stillorgan, Dublin, had sued St Vincent’s Healthcare Group over his death at the hospital five years ago.
In the proceedings it was claimed Mr O'Donnell was advised, encouraged and allowed to drink an excessive amount of water within the short period of time resulting in water intoxication, cerebral oedema, seizures, cardiac arrest and his death.
It was claimed there was a failure to properly care for, manage, supervise or treat Mr O’Donnell.
There was also, it was alleged, a failure to properly or adequately identify or evaluate or treat his deteriorating condition or properly or adequately respond to it.
It was claimed Mr O’Donnell was caused to become hyponatraemic, which is when the concentration of sodium in the blood is abnormally low.
It was also contended that an excessive oral intake of water was advised within a short period of time resulting in water intoxication and that there was a failure to monitor or supervise the intake of water by Mr O’Donnell after the procedure.
St Vincent’s admitted a breach of duty of care in the case.
An inquest into Mr O’Donnell’s death heard that such a situation had never occurred before.
The coroner returned a verdict of medical misadventure and confirmed that Mr O’Donnell’s death was an unintended consequence from drinking water and said the situation was rare and out of the ordinary.
The coroner also recommended that there be mandatory training in cases of low sodium and for water input and output.
In the High Court on Tuesday. Mr Justice Paul Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to Ms McGuinness and to the O’Donnell family.
