Quebec coroner to investigate death of St. Mary's ER patient

The Quebec coroner's office has ordered an inquest into the death of a patient who was unable to receive potentially life-saving surgery at Montreal's St. Mary's Hospital last November. 

"We asked the corner to [open] an investigation to make the probable causes and circumstances clearer," said Geneviève Guilbault, a spokeswoman for the Quebec coroner's office.

• St. Mary's Hospital in crisis mode as ethical debate rages over dying patient's transfer
• St. Mary's ER doctor disputes CIUSSS reasons for dying patient's transfer

Mark Blandford, 73, had walked into the hospital's emergency room on Nov. 2 complaining of severe abdominal pain.

He became unconscious in the waiting room after he had been triaged, at which point he was diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm – or triple-A – rupture.

Emergency room staff summoned the hospital's veteran vascular surgeon, Dr. Carl Emond, who is qualified to perform that surgery.

Emond told them that hospital administrators had forbidden him from doing that procedure, as part of the reorganization of the hospital's services.

• St. Mary's Hospital administration defends decision to revoke surgeon's privileges
• St. Mary's doctors in a fight against change, health agency head says

The patient was transferred to the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) but died before undergoing the operation.

Guilbault said the coroner's office had not been advised of the man's death in November, learning about the incident through media reports this week.

Guilbault said the chief coroner has contacted the establishment, and Blandford's death is now under investigation.

"The coroner will have to clarify the probable causes and circumstances of Mr. Blandford's death so she'll be examining whether the health reorganization might have had some impact on the chances of survival of the patient."

Guibault said the average investigation takes about 11 months to complete.