Finding into death of Geoffrey David Thorn

62y · Male·urosepsis

Geoffrey Thorn, a 62-year-old man with intellectual disability, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, and cerebral palsy, died from urosepsis following emergency urological surgery for a kidney stone. He presented to hospital with fever and restlessness on 17 August 2023, was found to have a large obstructing kidney stone on CT scan, and underwent emergency surgery. Post-operatively he developed acute renal failure, hypernatremia, and urosepsis despite ICU care. After discussion with family regarding poor prognosis, he transitioned to comfort care on 30 August and died on 4 September 2023. The coroner found the medical care provided both at the disability residential facility and at the hospital was reasonable in the circumstances, and that his status as a person in care did not contribute to his death. The death was from natural causes.