A Dublin man died as a result of a needle stick injury sustained during a medical procedure at St James Hospital, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday. An inquest into the death of Mr John Keenan (36) of Cherry Orchard Avenue, Ballyfermot, Dublin, showed he died at the hospital on February 3rd last of bleeding around the heart caused by the rupture of an artery secondary to a needle stick injury to the left ventricle of the heart.
He suffered an acute collapse during a pleural tap procedure at the hospital on February 2nd and died the following day.
The resumed inquest heard that Mr Keenan was a seriously ill man with an acute disease of the pancreas as well as very severe heart disease. His heart was described as almost twice normal size. He had a major operation and was in intensive care for some time. When his condition deteriorated he returned to the hospital and sustained the fatal needle stick injury during a procedure to assess his condition.
A post-mortem examination gave details of his existing medical condition but pointed to the needle stick injury as a major factor in his death. The jury of three men and three women returned a verdict of death by misadventure.