2,427 results
0y · Female·Group B Streptococcus meningitis and sepsis
An 18-day-old baby died from late-onset Group B Streptococcus (GBS) meningitis and sepsis. She was born at a regional private hospital after labour complicated by maternal fever (37.6°C), foetal tachycardia (160-170 bpm)…
21y · Male·Compression of the neck consequent upon hanging
A 21-year-old man with longstanding schizoaffective disorder, substance dependence and anti-social personality disorder died by hanging following absconding from hospital. He was admitted to Casey Hospital ED on 12 July …
46y · Female·Prolonged effects and complications of a head injury, with upper airway obstruct…
Helen Ashburn, a 46-year-old woman with history of alcohol use, coagulopathy and seizures, died from prolonged effects of a severe head injury sustained on 25 October 2011. She presented to Kempsey Hospital with extensiv…
63y · Male·neck compression due to hanging
A 63-year-old man with treatment-resistant depression died by hanging. His wife had been maintaining a 'suicide watch' for six weeks prior to his death and telephoned his GP on the morning of his final appointment, expli…
0y · Male·Urosepsis and renal failure in a child with acute on chronic pyelonephritis seco…
An 11-month-old boy with undiagnosed posterior urethral valves and hydronephrosis presented with fever, respiratory distress, and lethargy over three days. He was assessed by multiple GPs and presented to the ED at Werri…
38y · Male·haemopericardium (pericardial tamponade) due to aortic dissection
James Maurice Smith, 38-year-old male, died from haemopericardium due to aortic dissection. He presented to ED on 9 June 2015 with severe back and abdominal pain, elevated lactate, and neurological symptoms suggesting va…
62y · Female·subacute subdural haematoma due to a closed head injury sustained in a fall from…
A 62-year-old woman on warfarin for a mechanical aortic valve sustained a head injury from a fall. A CT scan on day 5 post-injury identified a small extradural haematoma, but the radiologist (Dr J.) failed to report it, …
33y · Male·Decompensated congestive cardiac failure complicating acute myocardial infarctio…
A 33-year-old man with morbid obesity and steroid dependency presented with chest pain and light-headedness. Initial GP assessment missed acute coronary syndrome despite ECG changes on second visit. ED correctly diagnose…
35y · Male·bronchial asthma
A 35-year-old man with mild asthma died from severe bronchial asthma within hours of arriving at a Christmas Island immigration detention centre. He was initially identified as asthmatic at the jetty but not transferred …
86y · Male·Sepsis with septic shock, due to urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis (kidney…
An 86-year-old man died from sepsis and septic shock secondary to urinary tract infection, pyelonephritis and prostatic infection. He presented to his GP in March 2015 with dizziness and reported urinary incontinence and…
43y · Female·acute multiple drug toxicity on a background of chronic pain and morbid obesity
A 43-year-old woman died from acute multiple drug toxicity after 26 years of high-dose opioid therapy for chronic pain following a motor vehicle accident. Despite recognition by multiple clinicians that opioid doses exce…
86y · Male·Cardiac arrest triggered by electrolyte imbalance and sepsis secondary to compli…
An 86-year-old man with significant comorbidities died in a low-care nursing home from complications of an incarcerated umbilical hernia with bowel ischaemia, sepsis, and cardiac arrhythmia. His GP examined him briefly (…
77y · Female·Large acute subdural haemorrhage leading to uncal herniation subsequent to an ac…
Barbara Sheedy, 77, died from acute subdural haemorrhage following an accidental fall in hospital. She fell while using a wheeled walker and initially appeared uninjured with normal neurological examination. However, she…
51y · Male·Combined drug toxicity (methadone and benzodiazepines) in a man with coronary an…
Michael Darmody, 51, died in police custody from combined drug toxicity in the setting of underlying coronary and cerebrovascular disease. He was remanded overnight and found unconscious at 6.01am. Key clinical lessons: …
83y · Male·pneumonia and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by Legionella ba…
An 83-year-old man died from pneumonia and respiratory distress caused by Legionella bacterium. He presented with abdominal symptoms and was initially misdiagnosed as having aspiration pneumonia rather than community-acq…
11y · Female·Acute Staphylococcal Septicaemia due to suppurative arthritis of the left ankle
An 11-year-old Aboriginal girl died from acute staphylococcal septicaemia following an ankle injury. She presented three times over three days with escalating signs of infection (fever, tachycardia, tachypnoea, swollen w…
10y · Female·Ischaemic large bowel; large bowel obstruction secondary to chronic constipation
Child W, aged 10, died from ischaemic large bowel secondary to chronic constipation and faecal impaction. She had lifelong constipation and encopresis (soiling) from infancy, presenting to her GP twice (2008, 2010) with …
15y · Male·Hanging (redacted in original but indicated by reference to method of suicide)
A 15-year-old boy with depression died by suicide. He had a difficult relationship with his parents and was reluctant to engage with mental health services. A clinical psychologist assessed him as low-moderate suicide ri…
20y · Female·stab wound to the neck
Adriana Donato, 20, was stabbed to death by her former partner James Stoneham in August 2012. Clinical psychologist Dr G. failed to adequately explore violent ideation when James expressed wanting to harm an unnamed pers…
39y · Male·respiratory failure and cardiac arrest
Bradley Karl Coolwell, a 39-year-old Indigenous Australian with schizo-affective disorder and significant comorbidities (obesity, respiratory infection, diabetes), presented to Logan Hospital after police noted concernin…
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