Inquest into the death of Mary Durnin

On Thursday 22 May 2008 an inquest into the death of Mary Durnin was held at the St Pancras Coroner's Court.  The coroner Dr Andrew Scott Reid heard how Mrs Durnin, aged 63, underwent successful surgery and radiotherapy for cancer in 2006 but then began to lose significant amounts of weight.  Her condition deteriorated and although a post-mortem later gave the primary cause of death as coronary artery disease, her family believe that the real cause of death was severe malnutrition arising from an internal obstruction.

The inquest heard evidence, including the account of Mrs Durnin's daughter Mrs Caroline McAllister, that the weight loss continued despite treatment for several months as an in-patient, alternating between both University College Hospital and Barnet Hospital.  Mrs McAllister told the court that although an intestinal blockage was suspected soon after the cancer treatment and was confirmed by a scan in early February 2007, nonetheless clinicians caring for her mother declined to perform surgery.  Although they gave Mrs Durnin nutritional supplements, when this regime failed to combat the severe malnourishment that Mrs Durnin was suffering, the option of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was not arranged until it was too late.

Mrs McAllister's solicitor Stuart Bramley, a clinical negligence and inquest specialist with Exeter firm Tozers LLP commented "although Tozers are instructed in a large number of inquests I was particularly concerned about the circumstances leading to Mary Durnin's death.  Although she was treated for lengthy periods at two different hospitals, she nonetheless lost so much weight that her body's natural defences eventually failed, leading to her death.  It is troubling that although we believe the bowel obstruction should have been suspected much earlier, once it was identified the decision was nonetheless made not to operate.  The family feel that TPN and surgery would have saved Mrs Durnin's life".

Mrs McAllister is now considering a legal claim for damages arising from her mother's death.  The family also hope that the inquest outcome will lead to lessons being learned within both hospitals.