Finding into death of Linda Snadden

62y · Female·Aspiration pneumonia in the setting of refractory focal status epilepticus

Linda Snadden, a 62-year-old woman with cognitive decline, brain tumour history, and multiple comorbidities including severe sleep apnoea and pulmonary hypertension, died from aspiration pneumonia during refractory focal status epilepticus. She presented with seizures in September 2023, was found to have a large right parietal brain mass on CT, and despite anti-epileptic medication, experienced progressive deterioration with reduced consciousness, hypoxaemia, and tachypnoea. The coroner found treatment at Northern Hospital and by CareChoice was reasonable and appropriate. The case highlights the challenges of managing complex neurological emergencies in medically fragile patients with limited surgical options and the importance of appropriate end-of-life decision-making when prognosis becomes hopeless.