Coroner's Finding: TABB Charles Andrew
Deceased
Charles Andrew Tabb
Demographics
50y, male
Date of death
2011-03-23
Finding date
2014-04-17
Cause of death
multi-organ failure due to pancreatitis and generalised varicella zoster virus infection due to immunodeficiency due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
AI-generated summary
Charles Andrew Tabb, a 50-year-old prisoner with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (diagnosed 13 years prior, treated with bone marrow transplants), died of multi-organ failure from pancreatitis and disseminated varicella zoster virus infection. He was admitted to hospital for a routine bone marrow biopsy but presented with severe abdominal pain. Despite endoscopy, varicella with pancreatic involvement was not immediately identified. He suffered two seizures, episodes of self-harm (removing oxygen, catheters, drip lines, blood transfusion line causing significant blood loss), and deteriorated rapidly. The coroner found prison health service care was appropriate and standard, with no preventable failures identified. Key clinical lesson: immunocompromised patients can present atypically; disseminated varicella in lymphoma patients carries high mortality and requires rapid recognition and supportive care intensification.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with immunodeficiency
- disseminated varicella zoster virus infection
- pancreatitis
- patient non-compliance with medical advice (refused fasting, treatment refusals)
- delayed recognition of varicella aetiology
- self-harm behaviours (removal of life-support lines causing blood loss)
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