A woman who died from meningitis in a Dublin hospital after spinal surgery did not receive the appropriate medication for two days after clinical diagnosis, an inquest heard yesterday.
Sheila Mulvey (57), of Kilbarrack Road, Raheny, died in Beaumont Hospital on August 3rd, 2006, two weeks after major surgery to remove a disk in her lower spine, Dublin city coroner's court heard.
Mrs Mulvey, a mother of three, had an operation to remove a displaced vertebral disk, which was causing her considerable pain, on July 20th, 2006. Consultant orthopaedic surgeon, Mr John Byrne performed the procedure and it was during this operation that a puncture occurred of the lining surrounding Mrs Mulvey's spine through which the meningitis infection later entered.
The Dublin city coroner, Dr Brian Farrell recorded a verdict of medical misadventure.
The inquest heard that in the course of the operation, Mr Byrne, aware that the puncture - a common occurrence of spinal surgery - had occurred, sealed the wound with gel and finished the operation.
Forty-eight hours after the operation the wound began leaking spinal fluid and on July 27th, Mr Byrne performed a second operation to reseal the wound. On July 29th, two days after Mrs Mulvey first displayed signs of agitation, she was diagnosed with meningitis and prescribed antibiotics to treat the condition. Mrs Mulvey's condition deteriorated and she died on August 3rd.