109 results
78y · Female·Hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy as a result of obstruction of airway caused by …
A 78-year-old woman died from hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy following an acute post-surgical arterial bleed that obstructed her airway after hemithyroidectomy. The bleeding complication occurred when she coughed after…
62y · Male·Intraoperative haemorrhage due to metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (su…
A 62-year-old man died from intraoperative haemorrhage during surgery for a renal tumour initially diagnosed as benign anastomosing haemangioma on biopsy but found at autopsy to be metastatic clear cell renal cell carcin…
71y · Male·Complications following a right hepatic artery injury following an open cholecys…
A 71-year-old man with myelofibrosis and prior abdominal surgery died from complications of a right hepatic artery injury during open cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. The operative decision was reasonable and the…
88y · Female·Complications of cholecystectomy surgery
Margaret Mariani, 88, died from complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstone-induced pancreatitis. An iatrogenic small bowel perforation, likely caused by inadvertent suturing during closure, led to perito…
82y · Female·Peritonitis due to leakage of bowel contents from bowel anastomosis following el…
Winifred Carpenter, 82, died 11 days after a right hemicolectomy for colon cancer from peritonitis due to anastomotic leak. Critical failures occurred on discharge day (10 March 2023): clinicians did not recognize her de…
79y · Female·Dilated cardiomyopathy with decompensated heart failure not appropriately treate…
A 79-year-old woman with severe COPD and heart failure presented with two weeks of nausea and vomiting. She was diagnosed with left ventricular failure (EF 33%) on day 1 of admission. Two cardiologists had key roles: Dr …
74y · Male·Sepsis secondary to fistulating Crohn's disease and post-surgery complications f…
Christopher Essery, a 74-year-old man with complex fistulating Crohn's disease, died from sepsis following surgery on 24 January 2019. He was transferred to Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) on 31 August 2018 for special…
53y · Male·disseminated malignant melanoma
A 53-year-old man died of disseminated malignant melanoma while incarcerated at Yatala Labour Prison. Initial excision of a large arm mole in November 2019 revealed Stage III melanoma. A January 2020 multi-disciplinary t…
42y · Male·Multiple organ failure due to iatrogenic phenol overdose due to metastatic pancr…
A 42-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic cancer died from multiple organ failure caused by iatrogenic phenol overdose during a celiac plexus block for pain management. The radiologist administered 40ml of 80% phenol …
74y · Male·small intestinal ischaemia caused by aortic atherosclerosis
A 74-year-old man presented to hospital with abdominal pain following a fall. He developed hypotension, fever, tachycardia, and elevated inflammatory markers consistent with sepsis within hours of admission. Despite clea…
73y · Male·sepsis due to ischemic gut due to occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery
A 73-year-old man presented with acute severe abdominal pain caused by superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion. Initial CT angiogram at 12:30am was reported as normal; the SMA occlusion was not identified until 4:45am…
70y · Male·severe metabolic acidosis due to multi organ failure including liver ischaemia
70-year-old Sean Thomas Montgomery died from severe metabolic acidosis and multi-organ failure following a thoracoscopic repair of a chronic right diaphragmatic hernia. The coroner identified multiple significant failing…
46y · Male·sepsis following haemorrhoidectomy
46-year-old Justin Mark Dobson died from sepsis following a routine haemorrhoidectomy on 17 July 2019. He was discharged to the ward overnight but deteriorated significantly from 11:00 am on 18 July, showing hypotension,…
74y · Male·Aspiration of gastric contents due to paralytic ileus following Whipple surgery …
William Searle, a 74-year-old prisoner, died from aspiration of gastric contents following a Whipple procedure for recurrent ampullary adenoma. The clinical lessons involve recognition of gastroparesis risk in high-risk …
Female·Not definitively stated in judgment; death followed complications from initial s…
This judgment concerns a pre-inquest motion by the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses challenging the scope of a coronial inquiry into Heather Winchester's death. Mrs Winchester died following emergency surger…
79y · Male·complications of peritonitis
A 79-year-old man with multiple comorbidities presented with a perforated bowel requiring emergency Hartmann's procedure. The operating surgeon, Dr Liu-Ming Schmidt, made a catastrophic surgical error by exteriorising th…
71y · Male·End-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and atherosclerotic heart diseas…
Colin Albert Winter, a 71-year-old prisoner who died from end-stage COPD and atherosclerotic heart disease, received comprehensive medical care during 33 years of incarceration at Casuarina Prison. Key clinical lessons i…
58y · Male·complications of large bowel pseudo-obstruction
Paul Desmond Smith, aged 58, died from complications of large bowel pseudo-obstruction following discharge from hospital after inadequate assessment. He had presented to the ED with lower abdominal pain and severe faecal…
65y · Female·decompensated liver failure
Ms Revell, a 65-year-old with Child Pugh Class C cirrhosis secondary to 20 years of heavy alcohol use and hepatitis C, was admitted following an intoxicated fall causing an olecranon fracture. Post-operatively, she devel…
71y · Male·sepsis caused by mediastinal empyema (abscess) which complicated perforation of …
Terence Carroll, 71, died from sepsis and mediastinal empyema following oesophageal perforation during rigid oesophagoscopy for stricture dilation. Critical failures included: CT scan showing suspicious oesophageal thick…
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