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Fight will go on to vindicate wife's memory, says husband after inquest

Leona Cusack was five weeks pregnant following IVF treatment when she died in February 2024
Leona Cusack was five weeks pregnant following IVF treatment when she died in February 2024

The husband of a woman who died at University Hospital Limerick a day after suffering a miscarriage has said he will continue fighting to vindicate his wife's memory, after an inquest into her death recorded a narrative verdict.

The verdict was recorded this afternoon at the inquest into the death Clare woman Leona Cusack, of Ballycasey, Shannon, who died on 18 February 2024 in UHL from a cardiac arrest.

The inquest heard the clinical markers for sepsis were present when the 33-year-old presented at UHL on the morning of 17 February, yet she did not receive broad spectrum antibiotics until 4pm, which doctors acknowledged was a breach of protocol.

The family had urged the coroner to consider a verdict of medical misadventure.

A narrative verdict is a factual statement of the circumstances surrounding a death without attributing the cause to an individual.

Limerick Coroner John McNamara said that it was a difficult case for the family and the medical staff who gave evidence during the two-day hearing.

"There was a lot of humanity shown during the course of the inquest," he said.

The cause of death was given as cardiorespiratory failure due to neutrophilic myocarditis, a very rare condition, which pathologist Dr Marcell Szasz said he had only seen once or twice in his career.

The coroner said he was not satisfied to record a verdict of death by natural causes as put forward by the hospital, nor was he going to record a verdict of medical misadventure.

Instead, he delivered a narrative verdict on the evidence heard.

Mr McNamara said the source of the infection was never identified.

'She was loved by everyone'

Solicitor for the family, Damien Tansey said: "Protocol was not observed at UHL in the manner in which she was treated.

"The protocol provided where sepsis is present, a broad spectrum antibiotic must be administered within an hour, and that didn't happen."

Mr Tansey said Ms Cusack’s husband, Conor, has been fighting to vindicate Leona’s memory and her place in the family.

The family's solicitor said 'protocol was not observed at UHL in the manner in which she was treated'

He said that fight will go on and he indicated civil proceedings will be initiated "and pursued very vigorously".

Mr Cusack said his wife was the loveliest person you could ever meet.

"She was the love of my life," he said.

"Clare and Eamon would tell you she’s the best daughter you could ever have, Sarah and Rachael would say the same about being her sister."

"She was loved by everyone," he added.

Cusack was five weeks pregnant

Ms Cusack was five weeks pregnant following IVF treatment when she first presented at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) on 15 February 2024 with abdominal pain, chest pains, shortness of breath and a strange taste in her mouth.

The inquest heard she was extremely upset and concerned for her pregnancy.

Upon initial examination, her vital signs were stable, but she had tachycardia - a fast heart rate.

Sepsis was suspected at UMHL and a sepsis protocol was initiated.

The inquest heard that a consultant cardiologist who was Ms Cusack’s primary carer when she was transferred to UHL, said there was a breach of this protocol.

Dr Cormac O'Connor said: "The breach of protocol was that only benzylpenicillin was administered."

This is a narrow spectrum, rather than broad spectrum antibiotic.

"It was an oversight," Dr O’Connor said.

The heart specialist apologised for the comments about Ms Cusack having "the heart of a lion", which he made to her sister Rachael.

He said he was trying to comfort the family and did not intend to cause any distress.

All the doctors and nurses who gave evidence at the inquest expressed their sympathies to the Cusack and Kirwan families on Ms Cusack’s death, many visibly upset at the loss of her young life.