Inquest hears family of a man who died during surgery were stopped from seeing him
The man died while undergoing surgery at UHW.
Waterford Coroner’s Court has been told that the wife of a man who died during heart surgery was not allowed to see him because of visiting hours.
County Coroner John P Goff opened the inquest into the death of the man in his 70s at University Hospital Waterford in March 2025.
In her statement, which was read aloud, the man’s wife said that he had had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
A stint was put into his heart, and he was due to have a second.
However, due to the condition of his arteries, his family were told the procedure could not go ahead.
The man was unexpectedly taken for surgery, but his family were not notified.
The man’s family were then notified that he had passed away.
The man’s cardiologist told the inquest hearing that the man’s wife had made a complaint about the lack of notification and that he had raised it with the nurse manager, who said the matter would be raised at the next team meeting.
The cardiologist said he explained the procedure and its risks to the man’s family but confirmed when asked by Mr Goff for clarification, that that discussion had happened three months after the man’s death, during the open disclosure procedure.
The man’s wife told Mr Goff that her husband had been expecting her to visit all day but had not been permitted to do so due to visiting restrictions.
The cardiologist replied: “I think it was a communication error”.
To this, the county coroner said: “At the very least, the hospital should issue an apology to the family”.
The solicitor for the hospital said that it was a “pity” that the family had not received an update, but he would speak to them after the hearing and make sure the hospital responds.
The man’s wife said that she knows that her husband’s doctor did his best to save him.
Mr Goff said that he recognised this as “a traumatic and upsetting period” for the family and they had his “sincerest apologies”.
