The family of a "healthy and active" man who died of septicaemia at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) have told an inquest they do not believe their father understood his surgery was optional, but no interpreter was sought to help with communication.
Ali Djawas, 71, was a well-known member of Darwin's Islamic Society and the patriarch of a family of eight children, 18 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
The inquest heard Mr Djawas died 19 days after a keyhole operation to remove a non-cancerous growth on his colon at RDH in April 2017.
In a statement read to the court, his daughter Gaya Campman said the family only learned that Mr Djawas had died of septicaemia when they saw his death certificate.
She said the decision to switch off Mr Djawas's life support was "the hardest decision we have ever had to make".
"Our family has been scarred forever with our loss," she said.
'Lack of communication' with family
Ms Campman told the inquest her father's death needed investigation because of a "lack of care" and communication they experienced in dealing with the hospital in the days leading up to his death.
"We feel there was a huge lack of communication between medical staff, my father and my family," the statement read.
"We should have understood as a family what was happening and the options for his care should have been discussed."
The family told the inquest they did not believe Mr Djawas understood all of the options outlined for his treatment.
They said they want to know why an interpreter was not organised by the hospital.
Death not put forward as risk option
The court heard from Mr Djawas's surgeon Dr Philip Toonson, who said he told Mr Djawas and his wife during a consultation in February 2017 that there were three options to treat the malignant polyp.
Of these, the first was to actively monitor the growth with repeat colonoscopies — but Dr Toonson highlighted the risks of missing a tumour and tears due to Mr Djawas's age.
The second was to undergo a laparoscopic right hemicolectomy — a type of keyhole surgery with possible risks of pain, infection and stoma formation.
Today the court deliberated on the need to have included death as a risk factor.
The third option was undergo a less invasive endoscopic mucosal resection surgery, which Dr Toonson recommended be done in Adelaide, because it was unlikely to be possible or safe to do in Darwin.
The family said he did not believe Mr Djawas understood he had the third option.
The inquest also heard insufficient reason for Mr Djawas to undergo the surgery in the first place.
The inquest continues.
