Kidney Deaths "Couldn't Be Predicted"

19 November 2014, 16:53 | Updated: 19 November 2014, 17:02

A transplant surgeon from Cardiff has told an inquest he took a risk in using kidneys for transplant which other hospitals had rejected.

Darren Hughes from Bridgend and Robert Stuart from Cardiff died just weeks after receiving organs - infected with a parasitic worm.

Argiris Asderakis told Cardiff Coroner's Court he used his own judgement to use the organs for transplantation - even though he knew other hospitals had rejected them and was unaware of how the donor had died.

The consultant said not knowing the cause of death wasn't uncommon and surgeons take calculated risks.

He added around 11 percent of transplants go ahead with so called "high risk" organs.

The inquest in Cardiff has previously heard the kidneys - given to Darren Hughes and Robert Stuart - came from an alcoholic man in the Manchester area.

Post mortem examinations later found he'd died from a parasitic worm.

The parasite lives in soil and is found in horses but infections in people are very rare with only 5 cases recorded worldwide.

The inquest has been adjourned til the start of December.