In a case highlighting critical medical oversight, Cork University Hospital (CUH) in County Cork, Ireland has reached a roughly $497,000 settlement after failing to diagnose a 33-year-old mother’s swallowed dentures, leading to her death. This settlement was finalized following mediation on July 26, 2024.
On September 25, 2021, Beata Kunicka visited CUH, complaining of chest pain and suspecting she had swallowed her dentures, which included two front teeth, a supportive palate, and wiring. Despite undergoing an X-ray and test meal, no foreign body was detected. Kunicka was able to eat and drink, so she was discharged from the hospital.
Seventeen days later, on October 12, 2021, Kunicka returned to the hospital after collapsing at home and vomiting blood. Her assessment was delayed due to disagreements among medical staff regarding the diagnosis and treatment plan. Despite eventually undergoing surgery to remove the dentures lodged in her esophagus, Kunicka died from severe bleeding and cardiac arrest.
CUH admitted to the shortcomings in Beata Kunicka’s care in a letter from CEO David Donegan to her partner, Kamil Jarzembski. An external review revealed that the medical staff did not realize that certain denture plates might not show up on X-rays, resulting in Kunicka’s inappropriate discharge. The Health Service Executive accepted responsibility for the incident, highlighting the hospital’s acknowledgment of its failure.
Justice Leonie Reynolds presided over the case, offering condolences to Jarzembski and their young daughter, Julia. “While no settlement can compensate for the loss, it is crucial that we learn from these events to prevent future incidents,” Reynolds stated in court.
The settlement has led to reassessing clinical procedures at CUH and across the country. The hospital has revised its training programs to ensure medical personnel understand the limitations of standard imaging techniques and the necessity of conducting thorough examinations. Donegan expressed that the incident has driven the implementation of systemic changes and emphasized the hospital’s commitment to improving diagnostic skills to prevent similar oversights.
The recommendations from the case review have been shared with hospitals across Ireland, aiming to safeguard against similar occurrences. This case has sparked a broader discussion about hospital standards of care and the necessity for continuous improvement in medical training and diagnostic procedures.