Hospital accident hastened woman's death, inquest told

A fall in hospital resulting in a fractured hip hastened the death of a 61-year-old Cork woman with serious health problems, an inquest heard yesterday.

Mary Byrne of Wycherley Court, off College Road, Cork city, died at the Mercy University Hospital in Cork on March 15th last.

Cork city coroner, Dr Myra Cullinane, recorded a verdict of accidental death noting that Ms Byrne's death would not have occurred at that time if she had not fallen.

The inquest heard evidence that Ms Byrne was admitted to St Patrick's Ward at the Mercy Hospital on March 8th, 2007. Tests revealed that she was suffering from Clostridium difficile (C.difficile) infection.

On March 9th, medical student Mohammed Safuddin Zanial was at the nurses' station when he heard somebody crying for help from a nearby isolation. He gave evidence of finding Ms Byrne on the floor beside her bed.

She told him she had hit her head and he lifted her from the floor and placed her on the footstool. He then called for assistance and Ms Byrne was attended to by nursing staff and later seen by a medical team. Clinical nurse manager Carol Cregan gave evidence that although Ms Byrne was unsteady on her feet, she did not need help going to the bathroom.

However, Vincent McCagney, for the Byrne family, said the family would say Ms Byrne's mobility was very poor and she did, in fact, need assistance going to and in the bathroom.

Ms Cregan said arrangements were made to transfer Ms Byrne to Cork University Hospital for surgical repair of her hip fracture. However, her condition deteriorated in the early morning on March 15th while awaiting transfer to CUH and she tragically passed away.

Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the inquest that Ms Byrne suffered from C.difficile infection, which was a serious condition, as well as severe heart disease.

Dr Bolster explained: "The fracture of her hip almost certainly tipped the balance in this case."