Coroner's Finding: Vanin, Levi Shane
Deceased
Levi Shane Vanin
Demographics
<1y, male
Date of death
2016-11-16
Finding date
2023-06-30
Cause of death
severe neonatal encephalopathy, post palliative care; possible underlying cause: intrauterine infection (fetal inflammatory response syndrome)
AI-generated summary
A 29-day-old neonate died from severe neonatal encephalopathy following birth asphyxia. The infant was born after prolonged induction and protracted second-stage labour at Lyell McEwin Hospital, followed by instrumental delivery. Initial concerns about delayed delivery and inadequate resuscitation were addressed through expert review. Joint expert opinion (obstetrics professors MacLennan and Pepperell) concluded the primary cause was fetal inflammatory response syndrome secondary to intrauterine infection, not intrapartum hypoxia or resuscitation failure. The infection was likely present for several days before birth and undetectable during pregnancy. Clinical management of antenatal period, labour, delivery, and neonatal resuscitation was appropriate and not criticized. The death was deemed not preventable and not attributable to inappropriate obstetric or paediatric care, though the prolonged second stage and delayed instrumental delivery delivery were noted as complications unlikely to have changed outcome.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- intrauterine/placental/fetal infection (fetal inflammatory response syndrome)
- chorioamnionitis and funisitis
- fetal vessel thrombosis
- maternal intrapartum pyrexia
- prolonged second stage of labour
- protracted instrumental delivery
- secondary neonatal hypoxia (not primary cause)
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