Coronial
SAhospital

Coroner's Finding: KERKMAN Johannes Leonardis Stephanes

Deceased

Johannes Leonardis Stephanes Kerkman

Demographics

75y, male

Date of death

2002-04-06

Finding date

2003-04-24

Cause of death

Multi-organ failure due to sepsis secondary to hospital-acquired pneumonia

AI-generated summary

A 75-year-old man with Alzheimer's dementia who was detained under Mental Health Act orders died from multi-organ failure due to sepsis secondary to hospital-acquired pneumonia. He was admitted to Royal Adelaide Hospital with cerebrovascular accident and white matter disease, subsequently developed urosepsis from urinary retention, then hospital-acquired pneumonia. The coroner found no concerns about the standard of treatment provided. Clinical decisions were made in consultation with family, and appropriate palliative care was delivered. The case highlights risks of hospital-acquired infections in elderly patients with cognitive impairment and complex medical needs, particularly when multiple complications develop sequentially.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.

Specialties

general medicineneurologypsychiatryinfectious diseases

Drugs involved

aspirinantibiotics

Clinical conditions

Alzheimer's dementiacerebrovascular accidentwhite matter diseasesmall vessel ischaemiaurosepsishospital-acquired pneumoniaatrial fibrillationhypoxiarenal failuresepsismulti-organ failure

Procedures

indwelling catheter insertionCT scan

Contributing factors

  • Alzheimer-type dementia
  • Cerebrovascular accident of the brain stem
  • White matter disease
  • Urinary retention requiring catheterisation
  • Urosepsis
  • Hospital-acquired pneumonia
  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Renal failure
  • Hypoxia
Full text

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