Coroner's Finding: Bennett, Anthony George

77y · Male·shock due to bowel ischaemia following massive blood loss due to bleeding of the left internal iliac artery after elective repair of an aortic aneurysm

Anthony George Bennett, a 77-year-old man with significant comorbidities including ischaemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disease, and end-stage kidney disease, died from shock due to bowel ischaemia following massive blood loss from the left internal iliac artery after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. The initial surgery was technically difficult but performed uneventfully. Post-operative bleeding required transfusion and ICU admission. Despite appropriate re-look surgery and management, bowel ischaemia developed, progressing to sepsis and multi-organ failure. The coronial consultant found medical management was of good standard throughout, with appropriate decision-making, timely re-look surgery, and sound limitation of therapy. No preventable failures were identified. The poor outcome reflected the inherent risks of complex vascular surgery in a high-risk patient with multiple comorbidities.