Court heard former soccer star was in ‘great pain’ before death
The family of a former Adelaide soccer star who suffered an agonising death has slammed the hospital he died in, for a shocking blunder.
An urgent coronial inquest has heard that critical medical evidence into the death of Stephen Herczeg was destroyed before it could be analysed.
Fifty-years-ago the Hungarian immigrant made headlines as the first South Australian to play for the country in a world cup qualifier.
His much publicised death in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at 72, has left his family devastated.
His son, Josh Herczeg, told 7 News that he believe his father had initially died of a heart attack.
“I want the person responsible to never practice again, I want f***ing just answers,” the distraught son said.
Mr Herczeg was admitted to the hospital last month suffering a urinary infection and hallucinating, twelve-hours later he was reportedly screaming in pain.
The inquest heard it wasn’t until he died that nurses realised ‘oxygen’ was pumped into his bladder through his catheter line instead of urine being drained out.
Forensic pathologist Stephen Wills said he’d never seen such a death and that Mr Herczeg likely suffered intense pain.
The court also heard computer records didn’t load when nurses needed to know if he wanted to be resuscitated.
“The government can no longer ignore the alarm bells, it must response, “ Shadow Health Minister Stephen Wade said.
“It is entirely erroneous to suggest that EPAS (Enterprise Patient Administration System) in any way contributed to this gentleman’s death.”
Mr Herczeg’s catheter bag was found on his bathroom floor after his death. It was photographed and then destroyed.
The coroner described this act as: “more than unfortunate that the items were then destroyed before being fingerprinted as he’d ordered".
The inquest continues.
