Coroner adjourns case to seek MRSA link

AN INQUEST into the death of a man who tested positive for MRSA following heart surgery at the Blackrock Clinic was adjourned yesterday to allow the coroner to call medical witnesses from a number of hospitals in an effort to trace the source of the infection.

Thomas Walsh (67) of The Green, Clara, Co Offaly, was transferred from St James's Hospital in Dublin to the Blackrock Clinic where he had aortic valve replacement surgery under the National Treatment Purchase Fund on February 22nd, 2006.

He made a good recovery until February 28th, when he had a raised temperature with a generalised rash. MRSA was identified on March 4th.

Mr Walsh made a steady recovery and was discharged to the Midlands General Hospital, Tullamore, Co Offaly, on March 10th, from where he was discharged just under two weeks later.

Five months after surgery he was referred to St James's Hospital as an emergency with recurrent MRSA sepsis and a sternum wound and giving a history of multiple admissions to Tullamore General Hospital with those problems.

Infection of the prosthetic valve was detected and Mr Walsh had a valve replacement on August 5th.

He had a "stormy course" following the operation and died on August 21st, 2006.

Dublin city coroner Dr Brian Farrell adjourned the inquest until a date in June and said he would be contacting the various hospitals.

"Certainly on the face of it, it looks as if the sepsis may well have been MRSA septicaemia," said Dr Farrell.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times