Deceased
Wayne Anthony Lowe
Demographics
58y, male
Date of death
2023-02-20
Finding date
2025-01-20
Cause of death
multiorgan failure due to sepsis resulting from repeatedly fractured left humerus
AI-generated summary
Wayne Anthony Lowe, aged 58, died of multiorgan failure due to sepsis following repeated humeral fractures sustained in falls. He was admitted with a right proximal humeral fracture from an intoxicated fall, discharged against medical advice prematurely, then re-admitted after re-fracturing the same arm. During his hospital stay, he suffered a third fall on 3 February 2023 injuring his left humerus. Clinical lessons: falls risk assessment should occur at admission, not after the first fall. Delirium assessment was inadequate and was a significant contributing factor. A Patient Safety Assistant was unavailable at the time of the preventable fall. While his death could not ultimately have been prevented given his poor baseline state, the fall hastened his decline. The coroner commended the health service for implementing improved falls risk screening tools and prevention strategies hospital-wide.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Error types
Clinical conditions
Procedures
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92y · Male·Consequences of accidental fall at RACF: post-operative delirium, left femoral i…
A 92-year-old man resident in an aged care facility sustained an unwitnessed fall resulting in left hip fracture, requiring surgical fixation. He developed post-operative delirium and died 8 days later. The coroner ident…
86y · Female·Hypostatic pneumonia due to the consequences of a right pubic rami fracture and …
An 86-year-old woman with advanced dementia and frailty suffered an unwitnessed fall at her aged care facility. Initial assessment failed to identify pubic rami and hip fractures. Post-fall documentation was insufficient…
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