Mum died after operations cancelled at last minute

A woman died after three planned operations to treat her worsening bowel condition were cancelled "at the last minute", a coroner has said.

Karen Dack, 43, was scheduled for surgery three times at the Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI) in April and May 2024 but each procedure was called off because of a lack of theatre capacity.

The mother of four finally had an urgent operation when her condition deteriorated but developed sepsis and died after the procedure, an inquest heard.

Leicester assistant coroner Diane Hocking said the evidence she heard showed Ms Dack, from Melton, Leicestershire, would have survived had she been operated on sooner.

Ms Dack's partner Emmi Akamo, said she had been failed "multiple times" by the hospital.

"She should still be here with us," Mr Akamo, 40, said.

"We were told it was a routine thing, keyhole procedure and that is why it really hurts.

"Each time she was in hospital ready for the operation, doing nil-by-mouth, only for it to be called off.

"She was a great mother, full of life and love, and she just wanted to get her health sorted."

A further statement from Ms Dack's family said: "Karen was a beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend whose death was entirely preventable.

"We hope her tragic loss drives urgent reforms to ensure no other family endures such a devastating outcome."

The family said they welcomed a prevention of future deaths report, published by Mrs Hocking.

The report said: "This lady's surgery was cancelled at the last minute on three separate occasions due to lack of theatre availability."

It said Ms Dack, who was suffering symptoms of stricture and obstruction of the bowel, was admitted to the LRI's emergency department in April but planned urgent surgery did not happen "because there were no intensive care beds and her condition had appeared to have resolved".

A fast-tracked operation was then planned for 17 May but Ms Dack was taken back to the LRI emergency department on 2 May. Another operation was planned but then superseded by other "more urgent" cases, the report said.

The report said a consultant had planned to operate the next day, but this was not clearly communicated, and Ms Dack was discharged and told to return for elective surgery as previously planned on 17 May.

The report said Ms Dack returned to the LRI days later suffering from abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, but surgery planned for 7 May again did not take place "due to the volume of operations at this time".

The coroner said Ms Dack's condition deteriorated on 8 May, likely due to a bowel perforation.

She had urgent surgery but did not recover despite surgeons' attempts to save her.

She died as a result of sepsis and a perforated bowel, the inquest found.

The coroner heard from a senior clinical director at the LRI who said there had been a review of how patients were prioritised for operations.

However he said there were "no immediate" plans" for theatre expansion at the University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust, which runs the LRI, and that the categorisation and access to emergency theatres "are probably as good as they can get" with the currently available resources.

Mrs Hocking's report added: "I am concerned that whilst UHL is doing its utmost to deal with this problem, the fact is that regardless of how patients are categorised, there are still the same number of theatres available and that this issue will happen again, and further deaths may occur."

The report has been sent to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), which has been asked to set out how it will address her concerns.

The DHSC said it would respond to the coroner in due course and was committed to reducing operation waiting times.

A DHSC spokesperson said: "Our deepest sympathies are with Karen's family and friends in this tragic case."

Gang Xu, UHL's deputy medical director, said: "We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Karen Dack.

"We acknowledge the findings of the coroners' report and are awaiting a response from the Department of Health and Social Care."

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