Hospital apologises following patient death
Posted: 29th November 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence Negligent Cancer Diagnosis Wrongful & Accidental Death
An East Sussex hospital has apologised to the family of a breast cancer patient who died following an operation in 2012. 35-year-old Nicole Haynes was undergoing a routine procedure at the Eastbourne District General Hospital to remove a tumour from her adrenal gland when the surgeon accidentally “clipped the wrong vessels”. It was heard that surgeon Steve Garnett had “misidentified” the arteries which caused the death of Mrs Haynes.
An inquest at Eastbourne Town Hall heard that the surgeon had “readily admitted” to the surgical error. The mother-of-one had been undergoing keyhole surgery to remove a tumour after doctors had grown increasingly concerned that it could be a secondary tumour related to her breast cancer.
Clipped the blood supply to her liver and gut
It was heard at the inquest that Mr Garnett had believed to have identified the correct blood vessels for clipping, and that the operation had been a general success. Following her death in March 2012, it was discovered that Mr Garnett had actually clipped the blood vessels supplying her liver and gut.
Following the accident, The East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust said they have carried out two investigations into Mrs Haynes’ death to prevent a similar accident from happening in the future. The medical director of the NHS trust, Dr David Hughes, said: “On behalf of the Trust and the staff involved in her care all we can say is sorry.”
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