Philip Hanson, of Roselands Avenue, Eastbourne, was diagnosed with a potentially fatal blood disorder which resulted in what Dr George Evans, consultant general surgeon, described as the biggest spleen he had ever seen.

Dr Evan removed the spleen on May 31 2007 and Mr Hanson was recovering in hospital.

The inquest heard he had a high temperature on June 4 and a sample from drained fluid was found to be growing MRSA.

No drugs were administered for the infection but Mr Hanson did respond to antibiotics and his condition seemed to improve.

But on the June 25 he suddenly deteriorated rapidly — he was transferred to the critical care unit after he became delirious and had a fall.

His heart rate slowed and he had blood pressure problems before his death on June 27.

Pathologist Christopher Moffat, who carried out the post mortem examination, gave the cause of death as multi organ failure due to MRSA following his operation on May 31.

Mr Moffat said he could not say whether the infection had been was contracted pre-operation or post-operation.

Mr Evans explained there were a range of 'bugs' on the skin and said the majority caused no harm.

"Bugs will always get into operations. It is impossible to do surgery without that happening and it always has been," said Mr Evans.

Coroner Alan Craze said, "If the patient has not died from the illness or the surgery then he died from a hospital-acquired infection.

"I don't think anyone from the hospital would argue with me for calling his death an accident."

However, he said he was going to 'dodge the question' of whether Mr Hanson's death was accidental and recorded a verdict of post-operative hospital-acquired infection.

"We will never know precisely how the bug got in," said Mr Craze.