A PENSIONER who died after a risky operation had earlier insisted on surgery to make her life worth living, an inquest was told.

Kathleen Harvey, 80, who had been plagued with bowel problems, suffered from long-standing diverticular disease and had previously undergone emergency surgery for a perforated bowel. She had also had a colostomy and later developed a fistula, and a top medic said she was "desperate to get rid of both."

The hearing, at Burnley magistrates court, was told how Mrs Harvey had felt she had no quality of life and had previously told a doctor she would rather die than face life without the colostomy being reversed.

Mrs Harvey of Roselands Nursing Home, Rawtenstall, died last November, a week after the last of several operations, in Burnley General Hospital.

Home Office Pathologist Dr John Rutherford said but for surgical intervention, Mrs Harvey wouldn't have died on the day or in the manner she did. She could have survived longer had she not had surgery, but he accepted the operation was necessary at her instigation. Dr Rutherford, who said Mrs Harvey's heart was enlarged, told the inquest she died from faecal peritonitis.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, East Lancs Coroner David Smith said the cause of death was ultimately due to to the repair surgery.

Dr Haytham Al-Khaffaf, a consultant general and vascular surgeon said in December 1999, Mrs Harvey was admitted to close the colostomy, after earlier surgery had to be stopped when her blood pressure dropped. A few days later, her abdomen started to get a bit distended and she was taken back to theatre.

She was adamant she still wanted the colostomy reversed and in March last year, he explained to her the risk would be quite high. Mrs Harvey said she had no quality of life and would rather die than live with the colostomy. Dr Al-Khaffaf said he wasn't really happy, but reluctantly agreed under pressure.