Woman died after hip op

11:00am Friday 7th March 2008

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AN elderly Hereford woman died shortly after being transferred from hospital to recover from hip surgery.

An inquest was told there was evidence that Evelyn Paton, aged 87, of Regent Gardens, College Estate, had MRSA when she died.

Mrs Paton fell at home on March 14 last year. She was taken to Hereford County Hospital for surgery to repair the fractured hip.

Dr Andrew Leeman, of the Pendeen Surgery in Ross-on-Wye, said Mrs Paton was transferred to Ross Community Hospital for recuperation, but felt pain in her leg.

Dr Leeman said he saw her on April 3, when he noticed her legs were swollen.

He told the inquest a colleague later reported she had developed a rash.

Blood tests showed Mrs Paton was slightly anaemic but there was no sign of infection.

Dr Leeman requested another blood test to check vitamin deficiencies but Mrs Paton's condition deteriorated and she was transferred back to the County Hospital, where she died on April 16.

Herefordshire deputy coroner Mark Bricknell said Mrs Paton died from staphylococcal septicemia, with contributory factors of a wound infection and fractured femur. He added that blood culture results after the autopsy showed evidence of MRSA.

He recorded a verdict of misadventure.