Courts

Farmer died day after routine hernia operation, court hears

Father-of-four and grandfather Peter Wall was 73 years of age when he died at the Dublin hospital

Father-of-four and grandfather Peter Wall was 73 years of age when he died at the Dublin hospital.

Fri Jan 20 2023 - 15:24

A farmer who was admitted to St James’s Hospital, Dublin for a routine surgical procedure died a day later after an accidental tear to his gullet during the hernia operation, the High Court has heard.

Father-of-four and grandfather Peter Wall was 73 years of age when he died at the Dublin hospital.

The family’s counsel, Oisin Quinn SC, instructed by Ciaran Tansey solicitor, told the court Mr Wall had been admitted to St James’s Hospital for a routine hernia operation but it was not spotted that there was an accidental tear of his oesophagus that led to internal bleeding and his death the following day.

Counsel said liability was admitted in the case.

READ MORE

Mr Wall’s widow, Mary Wall of Timahoe, Portlaoise, Co Laois, had sued St James’s Hospital, Dublin over the death of her husband and for nervous shock.

The terms of the settlement are confidential, and the case was before the court for the ruling of the statutory €35,000 solatium mental distress payment.

Mr Wall was described as the brains behind the family’s 70-acre dairy farm.

In the proceedings, it was claimed his family suffered great distress at the death. Mr Wall was a much-loved husband, father, grandfather and brother and all the family suffered great distress at his death.

He was admitted to St James’s Hospital on November 2nd, 2015, for a laparoscopic repair of a diaphragmatic hernia but during the course of the surgery, it was claimed, he accidentally suffered a significant laceration to his oesophagus.

It was contended the laparoscopic ports were closed without knowledge that the injury had occurred and Mr Wall was taken to recovery.

After the operation, Mr Wall suffered a cardiac arrest due to hypovolaemic shock as a result of a large haemorrhage at the site. He was returned to the theatre where a 6-cm oesophageal tear was sutured. However, it was claimed there had already been a large bleed internally.

Mr Wall remained in hypovolaemic shock and required cardiovascular support. He died around lunchtime on November 3rd, 2015.

The Dublin Coroner two years later presiding over an inquest into Mr Wall’s death ruled it was due to medical misadventure.

In the proceedings, it was claimed there was a failure to notice the tear had been caused to the oesophagus and the laparoscopic port had been closed and Mr Wall returned to recovery when he was in fact suffering a large haemorrhage.

St James’s Hospital admitted liability in the case.

LATEST STORIES