Licensee died after big operation went wrong

Dec 18 2008 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A PUB licensee died of massive blood loss after his gall bladder was removed, a coroner has ruled.

Robert Martin, who ran the Woolpack in Almondbury, died 11 days after a routine operation went wrong.

Paul Marks recorded a verdict of misadventure yesterday at Huddersfield Coroner’s Court.

The court heard how Mr Martin, 53, suffered bleeding after a vein next to the gall bladder was accidentally cut.

A top medical professor criticised Huddersfield Royal Infirmary staff for not carrying out a hi-tech scan on Mr Martin after the surgery.

The court heard a statement from Mr Martin’s son Daniel who said his father had been in good health, and played golf and squash, before suffering pain in July 2006.

Mr Martin was diagnosed with gallstones and went to the HRI for surgery on October 19 of that year. The operation, which should have been finished in 40 minutes, took three and a half hours to complete.

Consultant surgeon Ian Morris and trainee surgeon Timothy Wilson were trying to remove the gall bladder when problems developed in the liver.