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Camden New Journal - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 6 September 2007

Elspeth Iliff

‘Surgical accident’ cost life of musician

A CELEBRATED violinist died in hospital after a routine operation went wrong.
Elspeth Iliff, of Dartmouth Park Road, was supposed to be undergoing a simple bladder operation but became seriously ill after her surgeon accidentally cut into her bowel during the procedure, an inquest at St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday.
The court was told how Ms Iliff, 76, was given emergency surgery at UCLH to clean up the leakage from her bowel the day after her operation and appeared to be recovering in intensive care.
But, after being closely monitored for three weeks, her haealth deteriorated and she was sent for emergency surgery.
Doctors discovered the initial cut to her bowel had caused her internal organs to become infected. Efforts to treat the infection were unsuccessful and Ms Iliff died two days later.
Ms Iliff, whose only remaining family is her sister in Switzerland, was well-known around Dartmouth Park for her chamber groups and violin lessons.
Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said: “Ms Iliff died as a result of an accidental healthcare event as a complication of urogynaecological surgery.”
UCLH medical director professor Tony Mundy said: “We are investigating what happened throughout her stay to make sure we learn from it and ensure it does not happen again.”

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