Finding into death of Justin Christopher Piotrowski

37y · Male·hypoxic brain injury secondary to cardiac arrest as a result of bowel volvulus

A 37-year-old man with intellectual disability, autism, and Hirschsprung's disease living in supported residential care died from hypoxic brain injury secondary to cardiac arrest caused by bowel volvulus. He had presented to hospital two weeks earlier with partial bowel obstruction and was discharged after clinical improvement. Upon redevelopment of acute abdominal distension at the residence on 14 May 2012, he suffered cardiac arrest before emergency services arrived. Rapid decompression of his grossly dilated abdomen via colonoscopy at hospital temporarily restored ventilation, but he had already suffered severe neurological injury from hypoxia. The coroner found no evidence linking his prescribed Caltrate supplementation to the volvulus. Care at the residence and hospital appeared appropriate; his death resulted from natural progression of his underlying bowel pathology.