A RADIOLOGIST who failed to spot an infection which led to the death of a pensioner from Llangennech has said he was "deeply sorry" for his mistake.
John Elwyn Jones, of Tirgof, died on April 21, 2009, at West Wales General Hospital from blood poisoning caused by a retroperitoneal abscess, which had not been spotted on a CT scan carried out several weeks earlier.
An inquest at Llanelli Town Hall heard how the 69-year-old had suffered three weeks of constant pain when he attended the A&E department at Prince Philip Hospital on April 1.
He was advised to stay under the care of the surgical team, but declined, and was admitted to West Wales Hospital the following day.
It was during this five-day stay that Dr Roland Roth carried out a CT scan, and, being advised to look for kidney stones, missed the signs of an abscess.
Speaking at the inquest he said: "I was deeply shocked and unhappy that I missed this in the report, and I would like to extend my sincere apologies to the family of Mr Jones.
"That Friday was an extremely busy day and I had many interruptions. My concentration may have been affected, but I shouldn't have missed that. I am deeply sorry."
Mr Jones, a retired welder and collier, was discharged on April 7 and his health deteriorated to the point that he could not support his own weight and became bedridden. He had previously been "independent and mobile", and was a member of the Llangennech and Bryn Bowls Club, which he captained in 2007.
His wife Yvonne told the court that he looked "tortured" and that she could hear his groans of pain during the night.
Doctors were called to his home on April 13 and 19, diagnosing Mr Jones with groin strain and neuralgia, and prescribing painkillers to treat the conditions at home.
On April 21 he collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital, where he died suffered cardiac arrest and died.
A post mortem exam- ination revealed Mr Jones died from septicaemia due to a retroperitoneal abscess, which Dr Rupert Evans, a consultant in emergency medicine at the University Hospital of Wales, explained is extremely difficult to diagnose clinically.
But working surgeon Brian Rees said he had viewed the CT scan, and revealed he could detect the abscess without being an expert.
He added: "If they had diagnosed that he had an abscess over the time it was highly suitable to be drained via the skin or by surgery, I am sure John Elwyn Jones's life would have been saved."
Daughter Dawn George said: "Had he been diagnosed over the three weeks or during his five days at West Wales we wouldn't have been deprived of a loving husband, father and grandfather," she added.
Carmarthenshire coroner John Owen adjourned his verdict until March 24.
alana.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk
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