Coroner's Finding: HILL John George Charles

71y · Male·acute pyelonephritis with contributing ischaemic heart disease

A 71-year-old male prisoner died from acute pyelonephritis with contributing ischaemic heart disease at Flinders Medical Centre. He had advanced metastatic gastric cancer diagnosed in February 2011 after presenting with chest pain, fainting, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Following partial gastrectomy in June 2011, he developed leg ischaemia requiring transfer to Flinders Medical Centre where he underwent chemical lumbar sympathectomy on 27 July 2011. He died the following day. The coroner found no evidence of delayed diagnosis or suboptimal care. An independent surgical expert concluded that earlier detection of pyelonephritis would not have altered the outcome. The death was deemed natural and unavoidable given his metastatic disease, multiple comorbidities, and poor prognosis.