Coroner asks for details of Otley man’s hospital treatment (From Ilkley Gazette)

Coroner asks for details of Otley man’s hospital treatment

8:47am Thursday 7th March 2013 in News By Annette McIntyre

A deputy coroner has asked for detailed information about the treatment of a man who died following a massive blood clot while he was being cared for in hospital after a road accident.

Richard Rowan, 64, from Otley, died in hospital last year, a month after being left with multiple injuries when he was hit by a car.

During an inquest into his death, questions were asked about the precautions which had been taken to prevent a blood clot from forming.

His family told the Leeds inquest they were concerned about the care he had received in hospital, and they accepted a suggestion of calling an independent expert to give evidence.

Deputy coroner Melanie Williamson told the family she had no choice but to adjourn the inquest because she had not received all the documents she needed. She told a solicitor acting for the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust she wanted a day-by-day account of the measures taken to prevent a blood clot from the day Mr Rowan was admitted, on March 28, until his death on April 29.

The dead man’s family have also asked for more details about the nutrition he received.

Mr Rowan was admitted to hospital after stepping into the road at the Dyneley Arms crossroads at Pool Bank and being hit by a car. Police say they are fairly happy there was no fault on the part of the driver.

Mr Rowan was taken to the LGI by air ambulance and was treated for a number of injuries, including a punctured lung, three broken ribs, and injuries to his pelvis, shoulder and arm.

Because he also had problems with his stomach he couldn’t keep his food down, and was losing weight.

He was transferred to St James’s Hospital where he died just over 24 hours later.

In written evidence, his wife Lynette said after her husband died they were told a blood clot had travelled to his lung.

She said: “None of us can believe this has happened. It is all so very shocking and sad.”

Dr Andrew Boon, a consultant at St James’s, who produced the post mortem report, said there was a massive blood clot blocking the main arteries which led to his lungs, and evidence of an earlier piece of clot which had broken off.

In other medical evidence the inquest heard chemical methods of preventing blood clots had been withheld because of the nature of his injuries and suspected injuries. The inquest heard a decision was made to use compression stockings, which was another accepted method of preventing blood clots.