A PROCEDURE “carried out countless times” by a consultant led to the death of a Basingstoke man, an inquest heard.

Michael Kearney, of Glamis Close in Oakley, died on October 17 after a medical procedure to examine his body resulted in a fatal tear to his duodenum.

Mr Kearney went to hospital on October 13 complaining of abdominal pains, and an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) scan was carried out to find out the cause of his discomfort.

During the first ERCP, an endoscope was pushed down Mr Kearney’s throat.

A second endoscope was used and found a tear, approximately 5mm wide on his small bowl, which was perforated by the first scan. 

Gastroenterologist consultant doctor Michael Reynolds, who said he has carried out the procedure “countless times”, told the inquest at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court: “The second scope detected scaring. I have done 1,250 ERCPs in 10 years.”

He added: “I have never seen such a perforation before.”

Mr Kearney was found to have gallstones, and was due to go home following the procedure. 

But the 53-year-old complained of pains and was kept under observation at Basingstoke hospital. 

As his health continued to deteriorate, a decision was made to not operate on Mr Kearney to attempt to save him – a decision questioned by members of Mr Kearney’s family present at the inquest. 

Paul Kearney, Mr Kearney’s brother, questioned both Dr Reynolds and general surgeon Dr Faheez Mohamed, about the procedure that led to his brother’s death and asked: “Why was the decision made to not have surgery on him?”

Dr Mohamed, who agreed on the decision to not operate, said: “If we thought surgery would have had a significant chance to change this we would have offered it to him.

“When someone dies on your operating table it is catastrophic – surgery would not have helped him.”

In a statement read by North East Hampshire coroner Andrew Bradley, Mr Kearney’s partner Nora Morrissey said: “Mick was the man I loved and was with for over 40 years and this has left me deeply upset.”

In delivering a narrative verdict, Mr Bradley said: “There is a level of professional judgement and there has to be respect of that – this has got to be understood.

“Before me I have doctors and nurses and in all jobs we have a professional duty to decide what is the best option.

“You [Ms Morrissey] are now a lady who is on your own and I am sorry for that.”