Coronial
VIChospital

Finding into death of Agostino Cutugno

Deceased

Agostino Cutugno

Demographics

57y, male

Coroner

Coroner Simon McGregor

Date of death

2017-08-23

Finding date

2019-08-30

Cause of death

Small bowel perforation complicating small bowel obstruction arising from intra-abdominal adhesions

AI-generated summary

Agostino Cutugno, a 57-year-old prisoner with intellectual disability (IQ 55) and history of self-inflicted abdominal stab wounds, died from small bowel perforation complicating obstruction due to intra-abdominal adhesions. Care was fragmented across five locations over 19 days with multiple teams managing his condition. Key clinical lesson: prisoners with cognitive disabilities require early family involvement to provide medical history context and support decision-making. The coroner found medical teams provided reasonable care despite communication challenges, but highlighted systemic gaps in ensuring family access during emergencies. Medical management of the obstruction, bleeding, and surgical interventions were appropriate, but family visiting restrictions in ICU initially prevented access when family input was clinically valuable.

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

Specialties

general surgeryintensive caregastroenterologyvascular surgeryforensic medicinecorrectional health

Error types

communicationsystem

Drugs involved

proton pump inhibitors

Clinical conditions

small bowel obstructionsmall bowel perforationintra-abdominal adhesionsgastrointestinal haemorrhageerosive gastritishepatic cirrhosissepsisintellectual disability

Procedures

CT scangastroscopylaparotomyangio-embolisationblood transfusionautopsy

Contributing factors

  • Gastrointestinal haemorrhage
  • Hepatic cirrhosis
  • Atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease
  • Intra-abdominal adhesions likely from remote self-inflicted stab wounds and splenectomy
  • Fragmented care across multiple healthcare facilities
  • Communication difficulties due to intellectual disability
  • Limited family access during critical illness

Coroner's recommendations

  1. Corrections Victoria develop procedures to ensure that, where prisoners have cognitive disabilities or communication difficulties, their families and carers are promptly granted access to visit them during times when those prisoners require medical care
  2. Corrections Victoria engage with G4S to ensure that these procedures are put in place for prisoners being treated at St Vincent's Hospital
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