Latest news with #DanielOLeary
Irish Times
23-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
HSE apologises over delay in acting on X-ray showing man aged 91 had swallowed dentures
The HSE has apologised to the family of a 91-year-old man who died with choking complications after a hospital took a week to act on an X-ray that revealed he had swallowed dentures. At the High Court sitting in Cork, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart approved a €55,000 award on Wednesday to the family of Daniel O'Leary, late of Knockbrack in Banteer, Co Cork. The court heard how on July 26th, 2022, Mr O'Leary, a resident at Kanturk Community Hospital, Co Cork, started coughing while sitting in a chair. He was uncomfortable and complained about something stuck in his throat. READ MORE He was holding his hands to his throat and his partial bottom denture of two teeth was missing. Staff went to his aid and he was transferred to University Hospital Limerick. Paramedics told doctors he had possibly inhaled a denture consisting of two lower teeth. He was examined in the emergency department, and X-rays showed no evidence of the dentures or any foreign body. Mr O'Leary was admitted to hospital. He was further assessed the following day and again a doctor found no evidence that his upper airway was obstructed. A diagnosis of respiratory sepsis was made on a background of likely aspiration due to impaired swallow. Mr O'Leary was given fluids and antibiotics intravenously. He also received oxygen therapy. He was assessed two days later when he appeared to be improving. He remained in hospital over the bank holiday weekend, with his care being taken over by a consultant physician and geriatrician on August 2nd. Ms Justice Stewart was told a chest X-ray carried out on his arrival at the hospital on July 26th was only reported on July 30th. It showed 'densities in the upper neck, likely reflecting a foreign body'. The court was told there was no evidence the X-ray report had been seen or acted on by medics in the hospital until the consultant geriatrician came on duty on August 2nd. A CT scan carried out on August 3rd did not detect any foreign body in Mr O'Leary's neck or chest. However, later that day nursing staff carried out a suctioning procedure on the patient and detected dentures in the lowest part of his throat. The ENT team removed the dentures on August 4th, 2022, nine days after he was taken to hospital. Mr O'Leary continued to deteriorate physically and his care became palliative. He was brought back to Kanturk Community Hospital where he died peacefully on August 12th, 2022. Eamon Shanahan, for his family, said they received an apology from the HSE. In the apology the health service acknowledged the delay in the review of the relevant X-ray and said it has 'learned from the incident' and implemented a recommendation identified by the coroner at the inquest concerning Mr O'Leary's death. 'We wish to apologise for the failings in the care provided and for the distress and upset that this has caused,' it said. In effect there was a week between the X-ray, which showed a potential blockage, and when it was acted upon. Ms Justice Stewart extended her condolences to Mr O'Leary's family. 'Your father had a long and fruitful life,' she said. 'There is never a good time to lose a loved one, or to endure the trauma he endured. It doesn't bear thinking about. Hopefully you can put this behind you and reflect on the good times.'
BreakingNews.ie
23-07-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (91) died after week-long delay in detecting swallowed dentures
The HSE has issued an apology to the family of a 91-year-old man who died with choking complications after a hospital took a week to act on an x-ray which revealed that he had swallowed dentures. At a sitting of the High Court in Cork on Wednesday, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart also approved an award of €55,000 to the family of Daniel O'Leary, late of Knockbrack, Banteer in Co Cork. Advertisement Mr O'Leary was a resident at Kanturk Community Hospital in Co Cork. The High Court heard that at 11:25am on July 26th, 2022, Mr O'Leary started coughing whilst sitting in a chair. The pensioner also complained of something being stuck in his throat. Mr O'Leary was uncomfortable and holding his hands to his throat. His partial bottom denture of two teeth was missing. Staff rushed to his assistance and Mr O'Leary was transferred by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick. Paramedics informed doctors that the elderly man had possibly inhaled a denture consisting of two lower teeth. He was examined in the A&E department and a number of x rays carried out showed no evidence of the dentures or any foreign body. Mr O'Leary was admitted to hospital. Advertisement He was further assessed the following day and again a doctor found no evidence that his upper airway was obstructed. A diagnosis of respiratory sepsis was made on a background of likely aspiration due to impaired swallow. Mr O'Leary was given fluids and antibiotics intravenously. He also received oxygen therapy He was was subsequently assessed on July 29th, 2022, and appeared to be improving. He remained in hospital over the bank holiday weekend with his care being taken over by a consultant physician and geriatrician on August 2nd, 2022. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart was told that a chest x ray carried out on his arrival at hospital on July 26th was only reported on July 30th. It showed 'multiple linear densities in the upper neck, likely reflecting a foreign body'. Advertisement The High Court was told that there was no evidence that the report on that x ray had been seen or acted on by medics in the hospital until the consultant geriatrician came on duty on August 2nd, 2022. A CT scan carried out on August 3rd, did not detect any foreign body in Mr O'Leary's neck or thorax. However, later that day nursing staff carried out a suctioning procedure on the patient detected dentures in his left hypo-pharynx —in the lowest part of his throat. The ENT team removed the dentures on August 4th, 2022, nine days after the pensioner was taken to hospital. Mr O'Leary continued to deteriorate physically and his care became palliative in nature. He was brought back to Kanturk Community Hospital where he passed away peacefully on August 12th, 2022. Advertisement Eamon Shanahan, solicitor, representing the family of the deceased said that they had received an apology from the HSE. In the apology they acknowledged the delay in the review of the relevant x ray. 'The hospital has learned from the incident and has implemented the recommendation identified by the coroner at the inquest. We wish to apologise for the failings in the care provided and for the distress and upset that this has caused.' In effect there was a week between the x ray, which showed a potential blockage, and when it was acted upon. Ms Justice Stewart extended her condolences to the family of the deceased. Advertisement Ireland Former TD Colm Keaveney banned from driving for fo... Read More "Your father had a long and fruitful life,' she said. 'There is never a good time to lose a loved one, or to endure the trauma he endured. It doesn't bear thinking about. Hopefully you can put this behind you and reflect on the good times.' Mr O'Leary was predeceased by his wife Nan. He is survived by his adult children John, Margaret, Donal and Deirdre, his eight grandchildren, and two great grand children. The O'Leary family expressed their appreciation for the care given to their father in his final years at Kanturk Community Hospital.
