A retired farmer, local historian and writer became quadriplegic following a hospital procedure, it has been claimed in the High Court.
Mr Sean Cloney (71), Dungulph, Saltmills, near Fethard-on-Sea, Co Wexford, had full power in his limbs before an operation at the Mater Hospital in Dublin, it was alleged yesterday.
Mr Cloney is suing the hospital for alleged medical negligence in an action which opened yesterday before the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Morris. The defence denies the claim.
Mr Murray McGrath SC, for Mr Cloney, said his client was admitted to the Mater Hospital on November 19th, 1995 and seen by two medical men. One told him he would be fitted with a halo brace.
This involved affixing a metal ring to the skull by means of four screws and fitting a metal section to the neck and shoulders to hold the head in a fixed position.
When the halo was fitted, pressure was applied to Mr Cloney's head. He experienced severe pain and had shouted and asked the doctor to stop. When another attempt was made, he again experienced pain in his neck and pins and needles in the hands, arms and legs followed by a complete loss of power in his limbs.
Mr Cloney knew something had gone terribly wrong. From records obtained later, it appeared he had suffered damage to his spinal cord.
Afterwards, Mr Cloney had major surgery but it was not successful. It was submitted that no attempt to apply the brace should have been made without investigating Mr Cloney's spine. He was now a patient at the National Rehabilitation Hospital.
Mr Cloney said that on November 18th, 1995, he was driving his car near Wexford town when it was struck by another car. An ambulance arrived, he walked to it and was taken to Wexford General Hospital. He was not aware of any suffering. An X-ray showed a hairline fracture in the bone of his neck. The next morning, he was transferred to the Mater Hospital.
In 1981, he had had neck pain. He had treatment but it did not improve. By 1995, his head was bent forward and was rather rigid but there was no pain.
The hearing is expected to last two weeks.