Woman vomited faecal matter for three days before she died after a surgeon botched an operation

A woman had vomited faecal matter in the days leading up to her death after a botched hysterectomy operation, a court has heard.

Mother of two Colleen Stefanyszyn, 61, from Merewether in NSW, died in December 2008 just four days after a loop of suture material was left wrapped around her bowel.

She had undergone a vaginal hysterectomy elective surgery, performed by Dr Oliver Brown at Newcastle Private Hospital, on December 1 when she suffered a blockage in her bowel.

NSW Supreme Court Justice Monika Schmidt said the 'blockage was not identified and surgical steps necessary to remove it were not taken', Newcastle Herald reported. 

'She repeatedly vomited faecal material; she inhaled some of that material with resulting pneumonia; her electrolytic balance became disordered; her oxygen levels deteriorated; and finally, she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest,' the decision said.  

Justice Schmidt said Mrs Stefanyszyn's death 'could have been prevented, had available surgical steps been taken' but the 'cause of her symptoms was not investigated'.

The court heard that Dr Brown's approach to Mrs Stefanyszyn's subsequence care was 'inexplicable given her deteriorating condition'.

Justice Schmidt was highly critical of the hospital, its breaches of duty of care that contributed to Mrs Stefanyszyn's death, which 'resulted from both its failures and those of Dr Brown'.

Mrs Stefanyszyn's husband and two daughters have settled a compensation case with the hospital and Dr Brown. 

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