Family of 'much loved wife, mom and nan' who died at Shrewsbury hospital after surgeon caused colon tear is told 'sometimes complications are unavoidable'
The family of a “much-loved wife, mom and nan” who died after a surgeon caused a tear to her colon during an operation have been told that “sometimes complications are unavoidable”.
Yvonne Tolley, a “warm and gentle” mother of three and grandmother of 12, died at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) on the day before her 64th birthday after her bladder and colon were damaged during an exploratory surgery.
She was described as “the heart of our family” and “adored beyond words” by her loved ones.
An inquest at Shropshire Coroner’s Court, Guildhall, Shrewsbury had previously heard that Mrs Tolley, from Dudley, had a gastric bypass in May 2024 to aid weight loss and help improve numerous health conditions she suffered from.
However, she suffered persistent sickness and pain since that operation, so surgeon Mr Michel Riera carried out a laparoscopy at RSH on January 30 last year to try and diagnose the cause.
He found numerous “adhesions” - where tissue and organs can stick together - so divided them. However, a tear to Mrs Tolley’s bladder was caused.
Mr Riera fixed the bladder tear under observation of a consultant, but an injury to Mrs Tolley’s colon had also occurred and gone unnoticed before he sewed her up.
Mrs Tolley became seriously ill two days later and was rushed into emergency surgery, before being put in intensive care. She died on February 4 at the hospital at 2pm.
On day two of Mrs Tolley’s inquest, evidence was heard from more medics, including Dr Stephen McKew, deputy medical director for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust (Sath).
Dr McKew said he chaired a meeting of medics looking into Mrs Tolley’s death.
He said that it was accepted that the colon injury was caused during Mr Riera’s surgery, but said: “The surgery is a risky procedure and sometimes there will be complications that are unavoidable.”
Medics checked on Mrs Tolley over the course of her hospital stay but it wasn’t until around 6pm on February 1 that they realised something might be seriously wrong.
A statement was read from Dr Ellie Balsdon, who was “fast-bleeped” to attend to Mrs Tolley.
“She said her abdomen pain was worsening,” Dr Balsdon said, adding that Mrs Tolley’s heart rate was fast at 130bpm.
A senior consultant concluded that Mrs Tolley could have suffered a bowel injury and approved a CT scan, but Ms Emma Hamilton, a consultant colorectal surgeon, advised she needed an operation to find out what was going on.
The CT scan was not performed and Mrs Tolley was rushed into surgery that evening.
Ms Hamilton, who was at home but on call at the time, went into RSH to carry out the operation on Mrs Tolley.
She said that fecal fluid had leaked into all four quadrants of her abdomen. Ms Hamilton removed part of the colon and cleaned the area before Mrs Tolley was put in intensive care.
“After the operation, I spoke with her children and husband,” said Ms Hamilton. “I said she was critically unwell and though I hoped that she would pull through, there was a risk of multi-organ failure.”
Ms Hamilton operated on Ms Tolley from around 9pm - three hours after medics were “fast-bleeped”.
She said that despite anaesthetists being busy in another operation before being able to attend to Mrs Tolley, the other checks and medical interventions needed beforehand meant she did not consider there had been a “delay” in the procedure going ahead.
Ms Hamilton also said that instruments used to move a part of the bowel out of the way during an operation, like the one Mr Riera carried out, can cause injuries.
She said that sometimes it can just be the outer layer that is perforated initially, before becoming more severe later and eventually becoming a full thickness tear.
Nurse Lisa Walker went through the medical notes and explained that Mrs Tolley was being assessed around every three to four-and-a-half hours, which was more frequent than the six-hourly observations her vital signs suggested she should have had.
She said the notes showed Mrs Tolley was seen at 2.01pm and 4.30pm, and there were no causes for concern.
“So there was no evidence she was gradually deteriorating?” asked Heath Westerman, deputy coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
“That is correct, sir,” Ms Walker said.
Mrs Tolley’s family were in attendance, with her daughter Vanessa Perry asking questions of medics.
Mr Westerman empathised with Mrs Tolley’s family, sharing that he had been through a similar process when his dad died in hospital after a routine operation.
“I know what you’re going through and how difficult it can be,” he said, adding that his own experience inspired him to become a coroner.
“You have shown a great deal of courage,” Mr Westerman said. “I offer my sincere condolences for your loss.”
Mr Westerman said he would share his conclusion and findings within a week.
After the hearing, the family said in a statement: “Our mom, Yvonne, was a much-loved wife, mom and nan. She was warm, kind and very family-focused, with a wide circle of friends, and she always put others before herself.
“She was the heart of our family. She had three children and twelve grandchildren, who she adored beyond words. Being a mom and a nan was everything to her, and she found her greatest joy in simply being surrounded by her family.
“She lived in Upper Gornal, Dudley, which she truly considered home. She grew up nearby in Blackheath and went to Earls High School, and she always felt a strong connection to the area and the people in it.
“Although her health and disability affected her life in later years, it never defined her. She was warm, gentle, and incredibly kind.
“The sort of person who always put others first, remembered birthdays, checked in on people, and made everyone feel cared for. She was deeply loved, and her loss has left an enormous hole in our family and in the lives of those who knew her and called her a friend.
“Before her health problems, Mom was active and sociable, but over time she became increasingly affected by her disability.
“Like many people, she had always been conscious of her weight and tried different ways to manage it, but as her mobility became more limited, this became much harder for her to control.
“Mom chose to undergo a gastric bypass in the hope of improving her health and quality of life. She approached it positively, believing it would help her feel better physically and allow her to enjoy life more fully with her family.
“Sadly, after the bypass she continued to struggle. She experienced ongoing pain and sickness that never really settled, and over time this took a huge toll on her physically and emotionally. She was repeatedly unwell and remained under ongoing medical review.
“In that context, Mom underwent further investigations. What followed has devastated our family.
“Over the course of the inquest, we heard in detail what happened during Mom’s surgery and in the days that followed.
“Hearing that evidence in full, including what was said in court, has been incredibly upsetting, but it was important for us to finally have everything laid out openly.
“The inquest into our mom Yvonne’s death has been incredibly hard for our family, but it was something we felt we had to go through.
“We’re grateful to the Coroner for the care and seriousness he has shown throughout the hearing, and for giving our mom and our family the space to be heard.
“For now, we’re taking some time as a family and waiting for the Coroner’s formal conclusions.”
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