The parents of a 14-year-old boy who died unexpectedly in hospital four years ago following routine surgery have said they have “more questions than answers” following an inquest into his death.
Cillian Gorman, from Tullow, Co Carlow, died at Crumlin children’s hospital on March 20th, 2021.
Dublin District Coroner’s Court heard the cause of death was a lack of oxygen to the brain resulting from acute intracranial haemorrhage (a brain bleed) and thrombophilia, a condition where the blood has an increased tendency to clot.
However, experts who gave evidence to the court said it was not possible to establish what had caused or precipitated thrombophilia.
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The inquest heard that Cillian had been referred to Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) in Crumlin after presenting with dizziness, diarrhoea and a reduced appetite at St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny in July 2020.
Following some initial testing, the consensus among doctors was that he was probably developing inflammatory bowel disease.
He was scheduled to have an endoscopy on his upper and lower gastrointestinal tract and liver biopsy in Crumlin hospital on March 15th, 2021.
Cillian returned to the ward following the procedures and was reviewed at 6.15pm that day with no concerns noted and no abnormal signs recorded.
At about 8.40pm, his mother alerted staff that he was unresponsive.
CT scans showed no evidence of intra-abdominal perforation or bleeding. However, a CT of the brain was abnormal with evidence of haemorrhage.
A neurosurgical consultant reviewed Cillian as he was deemed too unstable for transfer. He remained critically ill overnight with no neurosurgical intervention deemed possible.
Evidence heard he remained comatose until March 20th when brainstem death was confirmed.
A narrative verdict was returned by the coroner, Dr Clare Keane, who said autoimmune hepatitis and inflammatory disease were significant background factors but not contributory.
Cillian’s parents, Declan and Deirdre Gorman, attended court alongside extended family and friends.
“Cillian was a robust, normal child when he went into hospital,” said a statement provided by the family’s solicitor, Simon McElwee.
“He was dead when he came out. After hearing all the evidence of the doctors today, my clients learned nothing new and have more questions than answers.
“They’ve no trust in the CHI. They accept the conduct of the coroner in conducting the inquest. They don’t agree with a narrative verdict. They would have preferred a verdict of medical misadventure.”
Dr Keane said Cillian’s loss continues to be “unbearable” for his family and they will “carry this forever”.
She said some of the evidence had been complicated but hoped “we’ve been able to clarify some of the questions that you have”.
She added: “I do realise in your mind you may have more questions than answers.”
Conor Halpin BL, who was representing CHI, said the hospital wished to offer its condolences to Cillian’s family and friends.
He also noted that no evidence linked the care provided by the hospital to the boy’s death to support a finding of medical misadventure.
