A FATHER-of-two died after doctors failed to diagnose a rare condition which blocked his airways and left him “struggling to breathe”.

Tony Cartwright, 39, died from brain damage in 2008 after doctors at Harrogate District Hospital failed to diagnose the rare condition, epiglottitis.

The hospital has since paid out damages to Tony’s widow Debra Cartwright, 52, after admitting liability for the HGV driver’s death.

Six years after Mr Cartwright’s death, an inquest at Northallerton Coroners’ Court has revealed how his widow was “absolutely traumatised” by the events surrounding her husband’s death.

Giving evidence, Mrs Cartwright, from Terrington, told the hearing: “The night he went to hospital he was working away. I spoke to him on the phone that evening and he said he was suffering from a sore throat.

“He was making choking noises and said I’m trying to drink water and it hurts as it comes down my throat. He was clearing his throat all the time. That was the last time we spoke.”

Mr Cartwright was taken to Harrogate Hospital that night from Manor Farm near Skelton-on-Ure, North Yorkshire, where he was staying the night between shifts.

An inquest into Mr Cartwright’s death on Monday revealed how Harrogate nurse Teresa MacLeod had suggested epiglottitis to her colleague, Julie Donnelly, as a possible diagnosis for the patient’s breathing problems, but said she did not hear the condition mentioned by surgeons and consultants at the hospital’s ear nose and throat department.

In a statement read by coroner Michael Oakley, the nurse said: “Epiglottitis had not been mentioned as far as I am aware.It is a very rare condition and normally affects children, although it was the same symptoms Mr Cartwright was suffering.

“There was something blocking his airway and it was a potentially life threatening condition. Epiglottitis was a thought that came into my head, however it was my priority to keep an eye on the patient. I don’t remember hearing a diagnosis of epiglottitis.”

Operating practitioner at the hospital, Mary Hellewell, said Mr Cartwright was in the process of being transferred to York Hospital when he complained he could not breathe and was rushed back into Harrogate A&E department.

“He seemed fine – he was laughing and joking and I was aware he was stable. I had no cause for concern over Mr Cartwright’s condition,” she said.

“He had no obvious symptoms of any airway problems at this stage. As I was wheeling him into the ambulance (to be transferred to York Hospital) he reached for his mask and said, ‘I can’t breathe’.

“Doctor Dan Gilpin told us to take him straight back to A&E. He was unconscious. We took him straight back into the ward and I ran to assemble equipment.

“Staff performed the tracheotomy which is an emergency procedure to provide an opening into the trachea.”

Ms Hellewell added: “I was really pleased to how quickly he had responded to the treatment and as far as I was aware I thought he was going to be alright.

“My role was simply to continue to stabilise the patient. This has been my only experience of epiglottitis so far in my career, although I am aware of the condition.”

The liability of the hospital has not been discussed in the first day of the inquest.

l The inquest continues.

Senior medical consultants and ear, nose and throat specialists who treated Mr Cartwright will tomorrow give evidence in the two-day inquest, including Dr.s Dan Gilpin, Malcolm Thompson and Peter Reilly.