A mother-of-four died while recovering from a brok

A mother-of-four died while recovering from a broken
hip in hospital, an inquest heard today (fri).

Cook, Victoria Wicks, 48, developed a fatal hole in her
bowel after suffering from constipation for three days.

By the time her serious condition was diagnosed, she was
too ill to undergo a life-saving operation, Southwark Coroners
Court was told.

Mrs Wicks, of (359) Bellegrove Road, Welling, Kent, was
pronounced dead at 11.

55am on June 17 1993 following sustained
resuscitation attempts at The Brook Hospital, Shooters Hill Road,
Woolwich.

The inquest was told she was admitted to hospital with a
broken left hip following a fall at her home on May 25 of this
year.

Because of the severity of the fracture, she was required
to remain in traction for several weeks.

During her stay in hospital, she suffered problems with
constipation.

On the evening before her tragic death, Mrs Wickes, who
was otherwise healthy, complained to Dr Wilson Orhiuni that she
had been constipated for three days.

She had been suffering with abdominal pain and had also
vomited.

Dr Orhiuni, who has since left The Brook Hospital, recorded
the patient’s temperature, blood pressure and breathing, were normal
despite her ‘sweaty and uncomfortable’ appearance.

He gave her a ‘muscle relaxant’ and mild laxative, which
did not have an effect, the inquest was told.

He saw her again ten-and-a-half-hours later.

But by that time, she was ‘pale, sweaty, and syanosed.

‘
Dr Orhiuni did not give evidence or attend the hearing,
instead his hospital notes were read out to the court.

Mr Robert Marshall the hospital surgical registrar said
that when he examined Mrs Wicks at 9am on the morning of her death
on June 17 she was in an ‘acute condition.

He diagnosed she had suffered a perforated bowel and made
arrangements for an emergency operation.

But he and other medical staff were unable to ‘revive’ the
now desperately sick patient who was by now too ill to undergo
and survive surgery.

Mr Marshal said that Mrs Wicks could have lived had she
undergone an operation within a small time gap of her bowel
perforating.

He said that if he had examined Mrs Wicks the night
before he would have arranged an x-ray of her abdomen following
her complaints of pain the day before.

‘The condition of the patient is affected within minutes
of the bowel perforating.

The damage is repairable if it is
carried out straight away.

‘
But he added: ‘There is a fifty-fifty chance she may have
died,’ even with early surgery.

Pathologist Dr Paula Lannas was said the burst had been
caused by a blockage.

She said the area could have been weakened
as a result of the fractured leg, which would have damaged some
of the muscles.

She was unable to pinpoint the time of the
perforation.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coroner Sir
Montague Levine gave his condolences to Mrs Wicks’ anguished
family.

‘We do not know what happened in those ten hours before
she was seen again by a doctor the next morning.

‘It is suggested an x-ray could have been done but this
is when we have 20/20 vision in hindsight.

‘
Mrs Wicks’ husband Dennis was in court.

ends