Coroner's Finding: de-identified EK

80y · Male·haemorrhagic stroke caused by Staphylococcus aureus sepsis due to L4/5 discectomy wound infection

An 80-year-old man underwent elective microdiscectomy for spinal pain in April 2023. In late June, he developed a wound infection with Staphylococcus aureus causing discitis. Despite appropriate diagnosis and aggressive treatment including IV antibiotics and surgical washout, the infection progressed to sepsis, septic shock, hospital-acquired pneumonia, kidney failure, possible endocarditis, and ultimately a haemorrhagic stroke. The coroner's medical consultant found no deficiencies in care. Post-operative spine infections can present insidiously with pain as the primary symptom, typically about one month post-operatively, and diagnosis may be delayed if antibiotics are prescribed for concurrent conditions. Once correctly diagnosed, appropriate treatment was initiated but the severe infection could not be controlled.