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| Patients given kidneys rejected 'unfit' by other hospitals | Patients given kidneys rejected 'unfit' by other hospitals |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Two transplant patients died after receiving kidneys which had been rejected as "unfit" by other hospitals, an inquest has heard. | Two transplant patients died after receiving kidneys which had been rejected as "unfit" by other hospitals, an inquest has heard. |
| Robert Stuart, 67, from Cardiff, and Darren Hughes, 42, of Bridgend, were given organs infected with meningitis-causing parasitic worms. | Robert Stuart, 67, from Cardiff, and Darren Hughes, 42, of Bridgend, were given organs infected with meningitis-causing parasitic worms. |
| Doctors knew the alcoholic donor of the kidneys had died from meningitis, Cardiff Coroner's Court heard. | Doctors knew the alcoholic donor of the kidneys had died from meningitis, Cardiff Coroner's Court heard. |
| The transplants took place at the University Hospital of Wales last year. | The transplants took place at the University Hospital of Wales last year. |
| Post mortem examinations revealed both men had the deadly parasitic worm halicephalobus in their bodies and the coroner heard there have only been five known cases like this worldwide in humans - all of which had proved fatal. | Post mortem examinations revealed both men had the deadly parasitic worm halicephalobus in their bodies and the coroner heard there have only been five known cases like this worldwide in humans - all of which had proved fatal. |
| Mr Hughes's post mortem examination revealed nematode worms in his eyes, brain and the transplanted kidney. | Mr Hughes's post mortem examination revealed nematode worms in his eyes, brain and the transplanted kidney. |
| The pathologist said swelling of the brain was caused by the number of worms in the organ and its response to the worms' presence. | |
| Because worms were present in the donor, he concluded the transplant was the cause of the infection and said the primary cause of death for both men was meningoencephalitis, a form of meningitis, and also from the presence of the worms. | |
| This was the first known case of human-to-human infection and the first case in the UK. | This was the first known case of human-to-human infection and the first case in the UK. |
| Both men had a "heavy infestation" of nematode worms in their brains and the pathologist said neither had any kind of contact with horses or soil where the worms are normally found. | |
| 'Unfit' | 'Unfit' |
| The hearing was told by relatives of both men that they had been informed the donor's organs had been rejected by several other hospitals after being deemed "unfit for transplant". | The hearing was told by relatives of both men that they had been informed the donor's organs had been rejected by several other hospitals after being deemed "unfit for transplant". |
| But Mr Hughes's family said it was not told the kidney was infected before the transplant, and they were only informed of the condition of the donor a month after Mr Hughes died in December 2013 - two weeks after the transplant. | But Mr Hughes's family said it was not told the kidney was infected before the transplant, and they were only informed of the condition of the donor a month after Mr Hughes died in December 2013 - two weeks after the transplant. |
| His father Ian said: "We got told that the donor lived rough, was an alcoholic, had cirrhosis of the liver and had died and they didn't know the cause of the meningitis which had killed him." | His father Ian said: "We got told that the donor lived rough, was an alcoholic, had cirrhosis of the liver and had died and they didn't know the cause of the meningitis which had killed him." |
| He said the family were under the impression that the donor had been killed in a car crash and they had no idea of his health. | He said the family were under the impression that the donor had been killed in a car crash and they had no idea of his health. |
| Mr Hughes said he would not have signed the consent form for his disabled son had he known the organ came from an alcoholic. | Mr Hughes said he would not have signed the consent form for his disabled son had he known the organ came from an alcoholic. |
| He told the inquest: "If I had known what his lifestyle was, I would not have signed the consent form." | He told the inquest: "If I had known what his lifestyle was, I would not have signed the consent form." |
| Representatives for UHW suggested to Mr Hughes at the inquest that the surgeon had told them prior to the transplant the donor had a brain infection which was low risk. He denied this. | Representatives for UHW suggested to Mr Hughes at the inquest that the surgeon had told them prior to the transplant the donor had a brain infection which was low risk. He denied this. |
| Mr Stuart's wife Judith said her husband would have also refused the transplant had he known of the brain infection suffered by the donor. | Mr Stuart's wife Judith said her husband would have also refused the transplant had he known of the brain infection suffered by the donor. |
| A proposed double kidney transplant for Mr Stuart on 28 November 2013 did not go ahead after the organs were instead given to an elderly man on life support. | A proposed double kidney transplant for Mr Stuart on 28 November 2013 did not go ahead after the organs were instead given to an elderly man on life support. |
| Two days later, he was called back to the hospital and was told a single kidney was available. | Two days later, he was called back to the hospital and was told a single kidney was available. |
| Mrs Stuart told the court they only saw an anaesthetist and not the surgeon and was told the existing consent form would still be valid but the date would be changed. | Mrs Stuart told the court they only saw an anaesthetist and not the surgeon and was told the existing consent form would still be valid but the date would be changed. |
| She said she stayed with her husband up to the point he went into theatre and at no point was he told in her presence about the nature of the kidney or informed about the donor. | She said she stayed with her husband up to the point he went into theatre and at no point was he told in her presence about the nature of the kidney or informed about the donor. |
| Under cross-examination from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board representative George Hugh-Jones, Mrs Stuart rejected a suggestion she had missed a conversation between her husband and the surgeon about the nature of the donated kidney before he went into theatre. | Under cross-examination from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board representative George Hugh-Jones, Mrs Stuart rejected a suggestion she had missed a conversation between her husband and the surgeon about the nature of the donated kidney before he went into theatre. |
| He was discharged on 6 December, but re-admitted on 10 December when he became unwell. | He was discharged on 6 December, but re-admitted on 10 December when he became unwell. |
| Mrs Stuart said she was initially told the donor had died of cirrhosis of the liver in UHW. She was later told the donor died of meningoencephalitis. | Mrs Stuart said she was initially told the donor had died of cirrhosis of the liver in UHW. She was later told the donor died of meningoencephalitis. |
| Mr Stuart was put into an induced coma and died on 17 December after life support was withdrawn. | Mr Stuart was put into an induced coma and died on 17 December after life support was withdrawn. |
| Halicephalobus parasite | Halicephalobus parasite |