Coronial
VIChospital

Finding into death of Virginia Catherine Harris

Deceased

Virginia Catherine Harris

Demographics

60y, female

Coroner

Coroner Audrey Jamieson

Date of death

2023-03-21

Finding date

2025-11-28

Cause of death

Non-operative management of ruptured oesophagus (palliated)

AI-generated summary

Virginia Harris, a 60-year-old woman with epilepsy and intellectual disability living in supported accommodation, presented with abdominal pain on 18 March 2023. Initial examination by her GP showed mild tenderness that improved. She deteriorated acutely on 20 March with pain, distress, tachycardia, tachypnoea and hypoxia, and was found to have a ruptured oesophagus. After discussion with parents, non-operative palliative management was chosen and she died the following day. The coroner found no evidence of clinical mismanagement by either disability support services or hospital staff. The death resulted from natural causes with a decision for conservative management of a catastrophic condition.

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

Specialties

general practiceemergency medicinepalliative careforensic medicine

Clinical conditions

oesophageal perforationepilepsyintellectual disabilityscoliosistachycardiatachypnoeahypoxiapneumomediastinum

Contributing factors

  • ruptured oesophagus
  • epilepsy
  • intellectual disability
  • scoliosis
Full text

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