Deceased
Danielle Elizabeth Peters
Demographics
40y, female
Coroner
Coroner Paul Lawrie
Date of death
2022-10-01
Finding date
2023-11-29
Cause of death
Sepsis secondary to ureteritis, pyelonephritis and aspiration pneumonia with a contributing factor of cerebral palsy
AI-generated summary
A 40-year-old woman with cerebral palsy, autism, and schizoaffective disorder living in specialist disability accommodation died from sepsis secondary to ureteritis, pyelonephritis, and aspiration pneumonia. She had sustained a femur fracture from an unwitnessed fall in early September and recovered well after surgical treatment. Two weeks after discharge, she was readmitted with sepsis and aspiration pneumonia—a recurrent complication in her history. Despite appropriate intravenous antibiotics, supportive care including blood transfusions and albumin, and escalation to palliative care, she deteriorated from worsening bilateral pleural effusions causing hypoxia and acidosis. The coroner found that the care and medical treatment received was appropriate. The case highlights the vulnerability of severely disabled patients to aspiration pneumonia and urinary tract infections, and the importance of preventive strategies in this population, though no preventable errors were identified.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.
Specialties
Clinical conditions
Procedures
53y · Male·Aspiration pneumonia in the setting of Down syndrome and pelvic fractures
Damien Mark Stone, a 53-year-old man with Down syndrome and early-onset Alzheimer's disease, died from aspiration pneumonia following a pelvic fracture sustained during hospital admission. Key clinical lessons include: (…
69y · Male·Pericarditis
A 69-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, congestive cardiac failure, and Fragile X Syndrome presented to the Emergency Department with dyspnea following an unwitnessed fall. He was…
39y · Female·Respiratory failure in the setting of aspiration pneumonia in a woman with arthr…
Nicole Kateiva, a 39-year-old woman with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, intellectual impairment, and epilepsy, died from respiratory failure due to aspiration pneumonia. She presented to hospital with two days of co…
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