AN INQUEST jury returned a majority verdict of death by misadventure yesterday of a 17 year old student who died of pneumonia just a few days after being discharged from the Mater Hospital, Dublin.
The jury also recommended" that the hospital review its procedures regarding the recording of, all information about patients.
After the inquest, the mother, of the dead student, Patrick Cleary, of Parkgate Street, Dublin, said she was relieved the ordeal had ended.
Mrs Geraldine Cleary said "I do not want this to happen to any family again."
Earlier the inquest learned that the fifth year student died on November 7th, 1994, from a pulmonary embolism (blood clot). The pathologist, Dr Sean O'Broinn, told the inquest in the Dublin, Coroner's Court yesterday that the terminal clotting had most, likely formed in the pelvis region of the body.
This embolism occurred in association with Patrick Cleary's illness, but this was an "unusual complication of pneumonia," the pathologist added.
Mrs Cleary claimed at the inquest that her son felt unwell on October 31st, 1994. The following week he was still feeling ill and was brought to the Mater Hospital on the advice of the family GP. He was diagnosed as having pneumonia and admitted to a hospital ward, but was later returned to casualty. Mrs Cleary said her son had to spend the night on a stretcher bed.
The next day he was admitted to a hospital ward again.
Dr Brian Kirby, the Mater's senior house officer, said Patrick could go home on November 3rd, but could spend the night in casualty if his parents were concerned. By November 6th Patrick was still weak but much brighter. However he died early the next day.
Dr Kirby said that he had concluded that Patrick had a resolving pneumonia, a pneumonia that was getting better". He said the results of tests he had done on the youth were not alarming.
Noting a post mortem report which said death was due to pulmonary embolism the Dublin city coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, accepted the jury verdict of death by misadventure.