There was no supply of plasma in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda to treat a haemophiliac who was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident, an inquest heard yesterday.
The inquest into the death of Mr Gordon Hearty (24), The Priory, Westcourt, Drogheda, also heard that plasma arrived from Pelican House while he was being operated on but it was frozen and could not be used immediately.
The jury returned a verdict that Mr Hearty died in accordance with the evidence but recommended that the availability of plasma in powder form in the accident and emergency departments of hospitals be considered on an urgent basis.
Drogheda Coroner's Court heard that Mrs Olive Pentony, Killineer, Drogheda, was in her front garden on March 24th last when she heard a bang. She saw a motorcyclist lying in the garden. He told her he was a haemophiliac and needed Factor 8 and she was to tell this to the ambulance crew. He also told her his name and address.
Dr Balaji Badmanaban said Mr Hearty arrived in casualty at 2.20 p.m. He said he was a haemophiliac suffering from hepatitis A and was positive for hepatitis C. Ten units of fresh frozen plasma had been ordered from Pelican House in Dublin.
While in X-ray Mr Hearty had become unstable and unresponsive and was taken to the operating theatre immediately.
Mr Owen Hearty, father of the deceased, asked Dr Badmanaban at what stage his son got plasma. The doctor said the hospital had informed Pelican House straight away to get platelets and plasma needed and Mr Hearty had received the best alternative to blood while they were waiting. The doctor believed the plasma arrived while Mr Hearty was in theatre.
Mr Hearty said plasma was vital for a haemophiliac. "We always had a stock of plasma in the fridge and then when it was in powder form, it could be used straight from the container."
Dr Paula Connolly, a consultant at the hospital, said Mr Hearty's abdomen was full of blood, his spleen and left kidney were shattered and he was aggressively transfused with blood. He had a cardiac arrest and despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation there was no pulse. She pronounced him dead at 5.50 p.m.
Mr Hearty said that while everybody had done everything they could, one of the vital things missing was plasma. Dr Connolly replied that the plasma became available after 3.30 p.m. but it was not powder, it was frozen. Mr Hearty asked if it needed to be defrosted?. '`Yes," the doctor said.
A pathologist, Dr Anthony Dorman, concluded Mr Hearty died from acute respiratory distress syndrome due to multiple injuries consistent with a road traffic accident.
The jury found Mr Gordon Hearty died at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital on the March 24th last in accordance with the medical evidence. The jury forewoman said the jury wanted to emphasise that hospitals should have plasma available in powder form.