Deceased
Meg Malaika
Demographics
39y, female
Date of death
2006-03-18
Finding date
2010-04-30
Cause of death
heart failure connected to a massive pulmonary embolus as a result of deep vein thrombosis
AI-generated summary
A 39-year-old woman died from acute heart failure due to massive pulmonary embolus from deep vein thrombosis two days after laparoscopic appendicectomy. She presented to ED with abdominal pain and nausea, was diagnosed with appendicitis, and surgery was delayed >24 hours due to limited operating theatre availability. Prophylactic heparin was prescribed but documentation of administration prior to surgery is unclear—records show either medication was not given or not recorded, representing a significant quality issue. Although the coroner could not definitively establish whether the fatal clot formed before or after hospitalisation, the case highlights critical gaps in medication reconciliation and documentation. Key clinical lessons include: ensure prophylactic anticoagulation is clearly documented in post-operative patients with risk factors, maintain integrated medication records, and consider expedited surgery timing in symptomatic patients.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Procedures
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Mrs Patricia Croxon, a 79-year-old admitted with community-acquired pneumonia, died from medication-related cardiac arrest caused by verapamil and propranolol. The verapamil was charted in immediate release form when she…
57y · Male·streptococcus pneumonia septicaemia due to splenectomy
Maarouf El-Cheikh, a 57-year-old man with splenectomy history, presented to Calvary Hospital ED with sepsis on 21 March 2016 and died 22 March 2016. Expert review identified multiple sub-optimal care deficiencies: inadeq…
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