An inquest heard how a middle-aged man died in hospital months after breaking his thigh bone.

Tony Poole, 49, who was normally healthy, developed abdominal pains nine months after a routine operation to repair his leg.

Colchester Coroner's Court yesterday heard detailed medical evidence from doctors involved in Mr Poole's care in a bid to explain how he died.

Mr Poole, of Valley Road, Clacton, slipped and fell over while walking his dog in a park last March.

He fractured his upper thigh bone and was admitted to Colchester General Hospital and a nail was fitted to repair the break.

In November medics realised the bones had not knitted properly and a second operation was carried out to put in a plate and a bone graft.

After being discharged Mr Poole complained of severe abdominal pain and was readmitted to hospital on December 11.

There were signs of peritonitis and surgeons opened Mr Poole up and he was monitored. Three days later he had a cardiac arrest and died on December 17.

A post mortem examination concluded cause of death was septicemia and bronchial pneumonia. There was a lot of pus and signs of infection in the right side of his tummy.

Consultant general and breast surgeon Simon Marsh said in hindsight he believed the infection was probably caused by Mr Poole being resistant to antibiotics used post operatively.

He said this may have caused a lot of bad bacteria to grow and to cause a small perforation leading to the abdominal symptoms.

He said, as the bad bacteria grew it led to the blood pressure to drop and cause Mr Poole to have a cardiac arrest.

Essex's deputy assistant coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said: "Looking at in a broad way we can trace the chain back to that accident."

She recorded a verdict of accidental death.

After the three-hour hearing Mr Poole's widow Susan Poole said she was satisfied with the verdict.

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