Woman Dies After Multiple Last-Minute Surgery Cancellations

A coroner has reported that a woman passed away following the “at the last minute” cancellation of three scheduled operations intended to address her deteriorating bowel condition. Karen Dack, aged 43, had surgery appointments booked on three separate occasions at the Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) during April and May 2024, but each time the procedure was postponed due to insufficient theatre availability. An inquest revealed that the mother of four eventually underwent an urgent surgical procedure after her health worsened, but she subsequently developed sepsis and succumbed to it following the operation. Diane Hocking, the assistant coroner for Leicester, stated that the testimony presented indicated Ms Dack, who resided in Melton, Leicestershire, would have lived if her surgery had been performed earlier. Emmi Akamo, Ms Dack’s partner, commented that the hospital had let her down “multiple times”. “She should still be here with us,” Mr Akamo, 40, stated. “We were told it was a routine thing, keyhole procedure and that is why it really hurts.” “Each time she was in hospital ready for the operation, doing nil-by-mouth, only for it to be called off.” “She was a great mother, full of life and love, and she just wanted to get her health sorted.” In an additional statement, Ms Dack’s family expressed: “Karen was a beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend whose death was entirely preventable. “We hope her tragic loss drives urgent reforms to ensure no other family endures such a devastating outcome.”” The family indicated their approval of a prevention of future deaths report, which Mrs Hocking had issued. The report noted: “This lady’s surgery was cancelled at the last minute on three separate occasions due to lack of theatre availability.” It specified that Ms Dack, experiencing symptoms of bowel stricture and obstruction, was admitted to the LRI’s emergency department in April; however, the planned urgent surgery did not proceed “because there were no intensive care beds and her condition had appeared to have resolved”. Subsequently, a fast-tracked operation was scheduled for 17 May, but Ms Dack was readmitted to the LRI emergency department on 2 May. An additional operation was then planned, but it was later postponed in favor of other “more urgent” cases, according to the report. The report indicated that a consultant had intended to perform surgery the following day, but this information was not effectively conveyed, leading to Ms Dack’s discharge with instructions to return for elective surgery as initially scheduled on 17 May. According to the report, Ms Dack came back to the LRI several days later experiencing abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea, but the surgery scheduled for 7 May was once more cancelled “due to the volume of operations at this time”. The coroner stated that Ms Dack’s health declined on 8 May, probably as a result of a bowel perforation. She underwent urgent surgery but failed to recover, even with the surgeons’ efforts to preserve her life. The inquest concluded that her death was caused by sepsis and a perforated bowel. The coroner received testimony from a senior clinical director at the LRI, who indicated that a review had been conducted regarding the prioritization of patients for surgical procedures. Nevertheless, he mentioned that there were “no immediate” plans for expanding theatre facilities at the University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust, the entity managing the LRI, and that the system for categorizing and accessing emergency theatres “are probably as good as they can get” given the existing resources. Mrs Hocking’s report further stated: “I am concerned that whilst UHL is doing its utmost to deal with this problem, the fact is that regardless of how patients are categorised, there are still the same number of theatres available and that this issue will happen again, and further deaths may occur.” The report has been forwarded to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), with a request for them to detail their plans for addressing her concerns. The DHSC indicated that it would reply to the coroner at an appropriate time and was dedicated to decreasing waiting periods for operations. A spokesperson for the DHSC commented: “Our deepest sympathies are with Karen’s family and friends in this tragic case.” Gang Xu, the deputy medical director for UHL, stated: “We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Karen Dack. “We acknowledge the findings of the coroners’ report and are awaiting a response from the Department of Health and Social Care.”” For updates, follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Story suggestions can be sent to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.