Hello My niece Ann tragically died from septaecemic shock arising from (non-diagnosed) HD - at the age of 14 in Ireland on 20th April 2012. The Inquest will be held on 4th November 2013 in Ireland. She was diagnosed all her life with mild constipation We are absolutely heartbroken, and wonder if it would have been normal for the hospital to have conducted tests during her several hospital admissions to determine if there was another cause to her chronic and severe constipation, or if HD is very difficult to diagnose..... Any guidance would be most welcome... We have to prepare for the Inquest, and we are only just becoming aware of this condition now, following the autopsy report which was the first time we had heard of this condition. Would it have been reasonable to expect that this would have been diagnosed - or at least eliminated.. during her lifetime The entire length of Ann s colon was found, in the post mortem, to have been grossly distended and ulcerated and compacted and etc. It does not bear thinking about. We just need to understand what happened, and if there was a diagnosis, could she have been saved. Any information you give will be much appreciated.. Thank You Mary Molloy Ann s Aunt.