Coroner's Finding: Briffa, Gennette Anne
Deceased
Gennette Anne Briffa
Demographics
73y, female
Date of death
2022-01-30
Finding date
2024-07-25
Cause of death
sepsis due to breakdown of oesophageal/gastric anastomosis following laparoscopic revision of gastric bypass
AI-generated summary
A 73-year-old woman died from sepsis due to breakdown of oesophageal/gastric anastomosis following laparoscopic revision of gastric bypass surgery. She had complex medical history with multiple post-operative complications including haematemesis, dehydration, vomiting, and deep vein thrombosis. The critical failure was delayed recognition and management of sepsis in the immediate post-operative period (from 25 January 2022 onwards). Despite MET calls being made, an intensivist was not involved early enough. The coroner found the response to post-surgical complications was below acceptable standard. Early recognition of sepsis signs, prompt intensivist involvement, early potent intravenous antibiotics, renal replacement therapy, and circulatory support may have altered the outcome.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Error types
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- failure to identify sepsis with certainty in immediate post-operative period
- delayed involvement of intensivist
- anastomotic breakdown with perforation
- delayed recognition of clinical deterioration
- complex post-operative course with multiple complications
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