Brown, Maxwell Ronald

57y · Male·ascending cholangitis due to or as a consequence of cholangiocarcinoma

Maxwell Ronald Brown, a 57-year-old Aboriginal man, died in custody from ascending cholangitis secondary to inoperable cholangiocarcinoma. Admitted to Townsville Hospital palliative care unit on 22 February 2014, his death on 25 February 2014 followed the expected natural progression of advanced liver cancer diagnosed in 2011. An Acute Resuscitation Plan documented in December 2013 appropriately specified comfort measures only. Clinical review found no deficiencies in medical care provided by either the correctional centre or hospital. The coroner concluded that appropriate palliative care was delivered to the standard expected in the community, the death could not have been prevented, and no preventative recommendations could be made for similar cases.