Coroner's Finding: GEORGE Irene Thelma

84y · Female·septicaemia secondary to septic arthritis of the left knee

An 84-year-old woman presented to hospital with acute left knee swelling and pain. Initial assessment at Ashford Hospital ED reasonably excluded septic arthritis based on borderline blood tests and absence of fever, though knee aspiration was not performed. She was transferred to a private hospital under Dr W.'s care. Over the following days, Dr W. failed to recognise progressive sepsis despite mounting clinical signs: fever (38°C on arrival), hypotension, confusion, dehydration, and severe generalised pain. He misattributed confusion to medication side effects rather than sepsis. Critical opportunities to diagnose septic arthritis through joint aspiration were missed. By the time an orthopaedic surgeon reviewed her on day 4, she was critically ill with septicaemia. She died of septic arthritis of the left knee. The coroner found her death entirely preventable with timely diagnosis and treatment, and criticised Dr W.'s failure to maintain appropriate clinical vigilance and his inappropriate 'do not resuscitate' order.