Family seek answers into death of Kildare mum

AN inquest into the death of a Kildare woman just over a month after undergoing elective surgery at the Beacon Hospital in Dublin has been adjourned due to the unavailability of a key witness who had described how her gall bladder was “crumbling” in his hands.

Colette Callinan (63) of Monread Heights, Naas, Co Kildare died at St James’s Hospital in Dublin on 21 October 2023 after becoming seriously unwell four days after vascular surgery to relieve pain she got from walking.

An inquest into her death at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Wednesday heard that Ms Callinan had suffered continuous vomiting and diarrhoea for a number of weeks before her death.

The deceased’s husband, Frank Callinan, gave evidence that a consultant in St James’s Hospital, Brian Mehigan told him on 16 October 2023 after she had to undergo emergency surgery to prepare for the worst.

Mr Callinan said Prof Mehigan had described to him how his wife’s gall bladder and surrounding tissue were “extremely necrotic and crumbling in his hands”.

He said the consultant had observed that the body parts appeared to have been decaying for a number of weeks and that her vomiting and diarrhoea were early indicators of bowel ischemia – the loss of blood flow to the intestines.

Mr Callinan said Prof Mehigan had also remarked that his wife was one of the worst cases he had ever encountered.

An application for an adjournment of the inquest by the Callinan family’s solicitor, Caoimhe Haughey, was made after she was informed that Prof Mehigan was unavailable to attend the hearing as a witness due to personal reasons.

Ms Haughey said the deceased’s relatives were insistent that the consultant should be able to give evidence in the case.

The inquest had earlier heard that Ms Callinan attended the Beacon Hospital in Sandyford where she had surgery on 15 September 2023.

Mr Callinan said she was sedated but stable when he visited her in the hospital’s intensive care unit the following day.

However, he recalled that she became unwell on 19 September 2023 after which she suffered continuous incidents of vomiting and diarrhoea.

Mr Callinan said a vascular surgeon, Adrian O’Callaghan, who had performed the operation on his wife told him that he was concerned about her condition and wanted another surgeon at the Beacon, Afzaal Amin Mughal, to examine her as further surgery might be required.

The inquest heard Ms Callinan’s condition deteriorated on 21 September 2023 and Mr Callinan said he was contacted two days later by Mr O’Callaghan after she became extremely distressed.

He recounted how she was delirious and begging to be taken home.

Mr Callinan said he spoke to Mr Mughal on 6 October 2023 after his wife had been over a week in a general ward at the Beacon.

He said the consultant said he could not be sure what was wrong with her before adding: “She’s a mystery.” 

Mr Callinan said she was discharged home on 9 October 2023, but they had to bring her to the emergency department in St James’s Hospital in Dublin a week later when she became very unwell.

Fighting back tears, he told the coroner, Clare Keane, that he and the couple’s two daughters were devastated by her death and felt “an overwhelming sense of grief.” 

In reply to questions from Dr Keane, Mr Callinan said his wife had suffered from back pain for years and had difficulty walking any distance.

He said tests conducted by doctors at the Beacon had shown a blockage in her aorta, but she was told that surgery would help fix the problems with her leg.

In reply to questions from Ms Haughey, Mr Callinan complained he was given “no detailed explanation of anything” by doctors at the Beacon.

Mr Callinan said he hoped to find out from the inquest exactly what happened to his wife.

He said he was angry that there seemed to have been an underestimate of the extent of how sick she was while in the Beacon Hospital.

Dr Keane granted the application made by Ms Haughey and adjourned the hearing until a date still to be determined.