Sligo University Hospital has apologised to an 82-year-old woman whose throat was perforated during a routine endoscopic procedure, leaving her with life-changing injuries.
The apology was read at the High Court by lawyers for the hospital after Kathleen Healy from Rathedmond in Sligo settled her case against the HSE.
Lawyers for Mrs Healy said she had been fit and healthy and living an entirely independent life before she was referred for the procedure by her GP after suffering pain and heartburn in 2022.
The procedure was performed under sedation by a surgical registrar but had to be stopped because Mrs Healy began to bleed. A scan revealed her oropharynx, which is part of her throat, had been perforated.
She went on to develop an infection and required a long hospital stay and intensive care and never regained the ability to eat or drink. She has required tube feeding and has been unable to return to independent living, instead having to move from her home in Sligo to a Dublin nursing home.
'My mum is 82, but she has loads of ambitions'
In her action for damages, it was claimed the event also had a profound psychological effect on Mrs Healy, who having previously lived independently, was now entirely dependent on her family. Her move to Dublin to be closer to her family meant she had to leave behind friends in Sligo and could not visit her husband's grave.
A letter of apology on behalf of Sligo University Hospital and the HSE offered "a sincere apology for the perforation suffered during endoscopy at the hospital in July 2022". The letter acknowledged the "life-changing circumstances" as a result.
Senior Counsel Liam Reidy told the court Mrs Healy accepted the apology and "forgives the Registrar who caused the perforation".
He said his client remained somewhat distressed that the hospital wanted to discharge her after the procedure. He said she was instead transferred to hospital in Galway, and she wanted to express her gratitude for the care she received there.
The terms of today's settlement were not revealed, but afterwards, Mrs Healy's daughter Siobhán Brosnan said it would allow her mother to avail of additional therapies she needed to allow her to live her life.
Ms Brosnan said they were grateful for the apology, but it was "a long time coming".
She said the last two years had been horrific for her mother. She said she wished everyone knew her mum before this happened as she was "so courageous, such a community worker, she helped everybody and then went for a routine procedure and got life-changing injuries".
Ms Brosnan said the "justice system does work" because the settlement - the terms of which were not revealed - would enable her mother to get the additional therapies she needs, such as physiotherapy and speech and language therapy.
"My Mum is 82, but she has lots of ambition and plans. She is not the type of person to just sit in her room," she said adding: "My Mum wants to live".
Ms Brosnan thanked their solicitor, Karen Kearney of Cantillons Solicitors, who she said "held our hand" throughout the proceedings.
