Alan Thawley, husband of Malak Thawley, is suing the National Maternity Hospital after his wife died during surgery for her ectopic pregnancy.
Breakingnews.ie reports that Alan's Counsel described Malak's death as a 'cascade of negligence'.
Malak, a 35-year-old teacher, died at Holles Street on May 8, 2016. Alan is suing the hospital not just over her death, but also for the nervous shock he experienced in the wake of the tragedy. He is seeking aggravated damages and exemplary damages for what occurred.
Senior Counsel Liam Reidy SC explained that the surgery was carried out by an unsupervised and inexperienced junior doctor.
The operating team even sent two doctors to get ice from a pub across the way, the Counsel stated, in order to cool Malak's brain during surgery as they had no ice of their own.
Counsel continued that, despite the Minister for Health's statutory inquest into this case, the 31-year-old cannot move past his wife's death and feeling of 'severe hopelessness'.
The couple was expecting their first baby together at the time of Malak's death. They had lived in Blackrock in Dublin for three years and Counsel said they were ecstatic about the pregnancy.
Alan and Malak found out about the ectopic pregnancy at their six week scan. After a Google search, Alan said he heard it could be treated with medicine. However, because the foetal sac had a heartbeat surgical intervention was their only option, the National Maternity Hospital told them.
The expecting parents followed the hospital's advice, which Counsel said is a decision Alan still regrets. They were reassured, though, that this 30-minute operation was quite routine.
Two and a half hours after she entered the OR, a doctor came out and told Alan that his wife had lost ten units of blood 'but they were dealing with it'.
An hour later, the Master of the National Maternity Hospital Dr. Rhona Mahony told Alan the situation was very serious. She said the doctors were doing all they could to help Malak.
Twenty minutes later, Master Dr. Mahony and a specialist informed him that Malak had died. They said she died because a surgical instrument tore her aorta.
Counsel said he asked the doctors if it had been a mistake, and they replied that yes, a medical misadventure had happened.
The next day when he returned, Master Dr. Mahony reiterated that Malak's was an accident and all surgery has risks. The hospital has admitted their liability in this case, and issued an apology to Alan. The case is continuing before Mr. Justice Anthony Barr to determine the extent of damages that should be awarded.
Our hearts go out to Alan Thawley.
