A POPULAR Yate builder who ‘would have helped anybody’ died inexplicably in Frenchay Hospital days after a major operation to improve his quality of life, prompting changes to medical routines in intensive care.

There had been concerns that 69-year-old Robert Gard, of Cambrian Drive, had been left dehydrated in the intensive care ward, which has now transferred to the new Southmead Hospital, after suffering a cardiac arrest at the end of a seven-hour surgical procedure to remove a hernia from his bladder.

However, at an inquest into his death on November 26 last year, pathologist Dr Russell Delaney, who raised fears over how much fluid Mr Gard was given the night before his death, said his observations were made on the information available at the time.

He told Avon Coroners’ Court on Wednesday (September 3): “I still feel that the medical cause of death remains unascertained. The circumstances are, I believe, of a natural cause of death as a complication of recent major surgery.”

Mr Gard, or Bob as he was known, had consented to the invasive procedure having suffered debilitating incontinence and painful sores for several years since undergoing radical surgery for rectal cancer in 2010.

“He had the most invasive surgery as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy,” said North Bristol NHS Trust surgeon Dr Caroline Burt, who carried out bother operations. “There was nowhere else to go, otherwise the rectal cancer would have advanced and cause his death.

“He had a prolonged recovery and quite early on developed a hernia but it was too soon to consider further surgery. Then the cancer came back in his liver and cancer treatment takes priority so he had his second surgery in 2011.”

She added: “We discussed the hernia operation on three occasions. He wasn’t ready to face further surgery the first time and then he agreed in early 2013.

“He was having urinary infections and the flaps he was given in reconstructive plastic surgery for the first operation were breaking down. He told me people beeped at him in the road because he couldn’t walk at a normal speed.”

Dr Burt took more than six hours to remove the hernia from his bowel and place a mesh to prevent it from dropping again but said the operation, on November 19, had been a success. However, 90 minutes after the surgery Mr Gard suffered an unexplained cardiac arrest and was resuscitated.

“Surgically I was satisfied with him,” added Dr Burt. “There was no obvious reason for the cardiac arrest.”

Instead of being transferred to a recovery ward as planned, Mr Gard was admitted to intensive care where he made some progress but developed a chest infection and in the early hours of November 26 suffered a second unexplained cardiac arrest from which he did not recover.

Dr Matthew Thomas, consultant anaesthetist on the intensive care ward, said Mr Gard was monitored closely at all times and the fluids given were in line with any patient having undergone major surgery.

“Although there were changes in his observations none were that extreme and in my experience of intensive care, patients will suffer bigger changes and not progress to a cardiac arrest,” he told he inquest.

Dr Thomas said since Mr Gard’s death, which no-one in his team had been able to explain, routine evening ward rounds were now fully documented as at the time only morning rounds were recorded.

Recording a verdict of natural causes, assistant coroner Dr Peter Harrowing said he welcomed changes in rectal cancer surgery which saw the mesh Mr Gard had inserted in his third major operation put in during the cancer procedure itself.

He said: “I welcome that as a change if only to prevent patients treated successfully for cancer from suffering further and distressing problems that would significantly affect their quality of life.”

Mr Harrowing added: “There is nothing in the evidence that suggests Mr Gard didn’t receive anything other than proper care at all times. I have heard no evidence that he was dehydrated.

“It is very sad that the operation that intended to improve Mr Gard’s quality of life significantly should be followed by his sudden death.”

His partner of 16 years Ann Simeons told the Gazette after the inquest that she would never understand what happened.

“I am as satisfied as I can be,” she said. “I am not going to get any more answers and don’t want North Bristol NHS Trust to do any more but I am glad changes have been made as I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what Bob did.”

She added: “He would have helped anybody. He was the kind of person who did anything for anyone and despite his cancer, he still worked three days a week all through his treatment and he never let it get him down.”