Luke Barnes died aged 34 in March 2023, waiting for a transplant at a Cambridge hospital
The wife of a man who died whilst waiting for a heart transplant has paid tribute to her “incredible” husband. Luke Barnes was 34 years old when his life support was turned off on March 17, 2023, at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge.
Luke was waiting for a heart transplant, after being diagnosed with cardiomyopathy – a chronic disease of the heart muscle – in 2018. A two-day inquest into Luke’s death concluded on Wednesday (January 21). The family’s solicitor has raised “serious concerns” with the hospital.
Due to an “unexpected” disconnection with a BiVad system – a mechanical pump which pumped blood around Luke’s body – on March 16, Luke sadly died of a “catastrophic haemorrhage” as a result of the disconnection, the inquest heard.
The coroner described the event as “rare” and the reason for disconnection was “unclear”. Luke’s wife Isobel, who was at the inquest, paid tribute to her husband. Isobel described Luke as her “love” and “safest place”.
She added: “He was the person who made me feel safe, loved and understood. Being married to him was a privilege I will carry with me for the rest of my life.” She said he had the “biggest heart” and “loved fiercely”.
Isobel said: “He stood up for what he believed in and protected the people he cared about with everything he had. To be loved by him was to know what unconditional love truly meant and to lose him has left a void that can never truly be filled.
“Life without him feels quieter, heavier, and unimaginably painful. Losing him has shattered my world in ways words will never fully capture. Every day without him is a struggle, and the ache of his absence is constant.”
Following the inquest, she said it “may be over”, but her “grief is not”. She said: “Luke is not a case, a conclusion or a headline. He is my husband, a father, and a treasured and missed family member and friend.
“He is missed in every breath I take, and he will be loved for as long as I am here. He lives on in the memories we hold, the love he gave so freely, and in the lives of those he touched simply by being himself.”
While in court, Isobel was represented by Rothera Bray Solicitors. Isobel’s legal representatives have raised “serious concerns” about the NHS trust.
A solicitor spokesperson said: “This has been a deeply distressing process for the family, who are still coming to terms with the loss of a devoted husband and father. A key issue in this case is how such an essential piece of equipment came to be disconnected.
“Despite questioning from the coroner and legal representatives for the family, the trust was unable to provide any evidence as to how the disconnection happened. There are also serious concerns arising out of the discarding of the device, despite there being regulatory requirements to retain it for investigation given it was involved in a catastrophic never event.
“The evidence presented during the inquest illustrated the trust did not have a clear understanding of its reporting and investigative obligations and, as a consequence, the equipment was disposed of before it could be inspected, meaning additional investigative avenues were lost.
“The coroner determined that in the absence of any evidence from the trust as to potential causes of disconnection – having confirmed that the tubing is robust and secure enough that it could not have been inadvertently dislodged during movement – and without the ability to investigate the equipment, the coroner determined the cause of the disconnection could not be identified.
“Sadly, therefore, the family are left without answers despite Luke having died almost three years ago. The discarding of equipment also raises serious concerns about the transparency of the trust in its investigation and how it manages catastrophic incidents. These concerns go directly to accountability, governance and basic patient safety.”
Following the inquest, the coroner has requested responses from authorities, including Royal Papworth, with issues regarding a possible prevention of death. The coroner will then decide if a prevention of death report needs to be prepared.
A spokesman for Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “We acknowledge the Coroner’s findings that Luke Barnes’ death was caused ‘by a catastrophic haemorrhage as a result of a disconnect of the LVAD circuit, the cause being unknown’.
“Following this tragic event, we immediately alerted the relevant authorities and conducted a thorough internal investigation, working with Mr Barnes’ family.
“We continuously review the quality of care and treatment provided to patients and share learnings with other organisations.
“We know this has been very distressing for Mr Barnes’ family and friends, and for our staff who cared for him. Our heartfelt condolences are with his loved ones who remain very much in our thoughts.”
