St Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny has apologised to the family of a 68-year-old woman who died from a heart attack after a failure to diagnose a known complication of surgery.
Bridget Tallis, from Lacken Drive, Kilkenny, died on 27 March 2015, a week after she had pacemaker fitted in her heart.
The High Court heard she had eight children and a brother with special needs who lived with her and was deeply affected by her death.
Her family settled an action against the hospital for €250,000, which was approved by the High Court today.
The figure includes some of the cost of caring for her brother after her death.
He eventually had to be moved to full-time residential care when his condition worsened, the court was told.
Ms Tallis' operation to fit the pacemaker was carried out correctly at a Dublin clinic, but days later after her discharge, she suffered a perforation of her heart, which is a well recognised complication of having a pacemaker fitted.
Six days after her surgery she became ill and attended the emergency department of St Luke's General Hospital.
While the hospital was aware of her recent surgery, there was a failure to investigate or diagnose a possible perforation of her heart.
Instead, she was treated for sepsis and suspected kidney failure, despite displaying clear signs of a possible perforation, the High Court was told.
As a result, she had a heart attack and died two days later.
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The High Court heard that during the 48 hours she spent at St Luke’s she was examined by a number of doctors but none thought to investigate the possibility of a perforation of her heart.
The court was told that had a cardio echogram been carried out, her condition could have been treated and she would probably have survived.
Senior Counsel Patrick Treacy told the court that the HSE had fully defended the case and made no admission at the inquest into Mrs Tallis' death.
He said it was a "different approach to the one now being taken in this case". Liability was admitted earlier this year.
Afterwards, Mrs Tallis's son John said today's apology and admission of liability was a positive step for the family.
John Tallis describes the settlement of his family's action against St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny over the death of his mother Bridget Tallis as a positive step for the family pic.twitter.com/dwA1dM1FaR
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) November 15, 2018
He added: "We hope that the hospital learns from the mistake and implements the findings so that no other family has to endure the loss that we have.
"It was very hurtful that at the inquest that they did not acknowledge any wrongdoing or responsibility for our mother's death and it took these High Court proceedings to force them to admit wrongdoing."
In court, lawyers for the hospital faced her adult children, some of whom cried as they listened to the apology which stated: "We accept responsibility for the circumstances leading to the death of your late mother and sister Bridget Tallis and sincerely apologise to each of you and to the other members of your respective families.
"The staff at St. Luke's Hospital Kilkenny are truly sorry for the failure to diagnose the true cause of Mrs Tallis' ill health during the period 25 to 27 March 2015 and this is deeply regretted by all involved.
"The incalculable distress and grief that has been caused to you all and to the members of your respective families by these shortcomings is sincerely regretted by all the persons who were involved in the care of the late Mrs Tallis during these dates."
The apology also stated that the HSE noted the two recommendations issued after the inquest into Mrs Tallis's death and said steps had been taken in respect of those recommendations.
A consultant cardiologist had been asked to review the case and the system of access to critical care areas had also been changed due to a recommendation from the inquest, which said there was a delay in access to the ward in Mrs Tallis' case.
The statement said steps had been taken to allow immediate access to all critical care areas by use of a swipe card, intercom or release button.
The apology continued: "It is hoped that these steps arising from the untimely death of the late Mrs Tallis now serve to significantly reduce the risk of the tragic circumstances giving rise to the death of the late Bridget Tallis and the profound loss then occasions to all her family from occurring again."
