Coronial
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TAShome2026-02-17

Coroner's Finding: Gregory and Diane Burkhalter

73y · Male·Gregory Frank Burkhalter: carbon monoxide toxicity due to inhalation of carbon m…

Two elderly US-born residents died in a house fire caused by a 120-volt electric blanket operating on Australia's 230-volt grid, resulting in insulation failure and combustion. Mr Burkhalter (73) died from carbon monoxid…

emergency medicineanaesthesiasystem
TAShospital2025-07-08

Coroner's Finding: Ridgway, Gavin

52y · Male·pulmonary thromboembolism due to pancreatic contusion and necrosis from motorcyc…

A 52-year-old man died from pulmonary thromboembolism following a motorcycle accident on a winding road in Tasmania. He suffered pancreatic contusion and necrosis from handlebar impact when his motorcycle struck a rock w…

trauma surgeryintensive care
TAShospital2024-11-07

Coroner's Finding: Flynn, Christine Joy

68y · Female·haemopericardium resulting from perforation of the pericardial sac during laparo…

Mrs Christine Flynn, aged 68, died from haemopericardium and pericardial tamponade following laparoscopic hiatus hernia repair. A 2mm perforation of the pericardial sac occurred during surgery, likely from mesh tacks pla…

general surgerycardiothoracic surgeryprocedural
TAShospital2024-06-21

Coroner's Finding: de-identified BP

16y · Male·transection of the liver and laceration of the inferior vena cava sustained in a…

A 16-year-old male died from transection of the liver and inferior vena cava laceration sustained in a quad bike accident. He was riding a single-rider ATV with a pillion passenger when he entered a left-hand corner too …

trauma surgeryemergency medicine
TAShospital2024-03-27

Coroner's Finding: Leary, Kane

17y · Male·stroke (left middle cerebral artery infarction) following motorbike collision du…

Kane Mathew Leary, 17, died from a stroke (left middle cerebral artery infarction) following a motorbike collision. The critical clinical lesson involves a missed diagnosis of left internal carotid artery dissection on i…

emergency medicineneurosurgerydiagnosticcommunicationmorphine
TAShome2024

Coroner's Finding: Heraghty, Susanna Elizabeth

68y · Female·mixed prescription drug toxicity (oxycodone, metoprolol, diazepam)

Ms Heraghty, a 68-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities including obesity (BMI 47.3), atrial fibrillation, COPD, and severe chronic pain, died from mixed prescription drug toxicity (oxycodone, metoprolol, diazepam) …

orthopaedic surgeryanaesthesiaoxycodone
TAShospital2023-11-17

Coroner's Finding: Williams, Stewart

54y · Male·Hypoxic/ischaemic brain damage caused by blood loss and airway obstruction due t…

A 54-year-old male was assaulted in a nightclub with a single punch causing orbital and facial fractures and posterior epistaxis. He presented to the Royal Hobart Hospital ED with active bleeding. Critical deficits in hi…

emergency medicineoral and maxillofacial surgerydiagnosticcommunication
TAShome2023-11-14

Coroner's Finding: de-identified OV

<1y · Male·hypoxic brain damage due to laryngeal obstruction from foreign body (metal screw…

An 11-month-old boy died from hypoxic brain damage following aspiration of a 2cm metal screw that lodged in his larynx. The child was left briefly unsupervised at home when he ingested the screw and began choking. Parent…

paediatricsemergency medicineadrenaline
TAShospital2023-08-02

Coroner's Finding: Nalder Michael Graeme

63y · Male·pulmonary thrombo-emboli following coronary artery bypass grafting

Michael Nalder, 63, died from pulmonary thromboembolism on postoperative day 9 following elective coronary artery bypass grafting for severe coronary artery disease. He had multiple significant comorbidities including Ty…

cardiothoracic surgeryintensive careunfractionated heparin
TAShospital2023-08-02

Coroner's Finding: de-identified LD

<1y · Female·Intrapartum asphyxia refractory to postpartum resuscitation due to amniotic flui…

A term neonate died one hour after emergency caesarean section for fetal distress, caused by intrapartum asphyxia due to meconium aspiration. While labour induction, oxytocin dosing, and emergency surgery were appropriat…

obstetricsneonatologydiagnosticcommunicationoxytocin
TAShospital2022-11-11

Coroner's Finding: Revell, Dianne Judith

65y · Female·decompensated liver failure

Ms Revell, a 65-year-old with Child Pugh Class C cirrhosis secondary to 20 years of heavy alcohol use and hepatitis C, was admitted following an intoxicated fall causing an olecranon fracture. Post-operatively, she devel…

general surgerygastroenterologycommunication
TAShospital2022-10-26

Coroner's Finding: Carroll, Terence John

71y · Male·sepsis caused by mediastinal empyema (abscess) which complicated perforation of …

Terence Carroll, 71, died from sepsis and mediastinal empyema following oesophageal perforation during rigid oesophagoscopy for stricture dilation. Critical failures included: CT scan showing suspicious oesophageal thick…

ENT surgerygeneral surgerycommunicationdiagnostic
TAShospital2022-10-07

Coroner's Finding: Willetts, Ernest Charles

80y · Male·aspiration pneumonia

Ernest Charles Willetts, 80, died from aspiration pneumonia following an appendectomy. On hospital day 3, he developed coffee-ground vomitus indicating gastrointestinal bleeding. A gastroscopy was performed that afternoo…

surgerygastroenterologycommunicationsystempariet
TAShospital2022-03-21

Coroner's Finding: Mackey, Lois Winifred

83y · Female·decompensated right heart failure (cor pulmonale) immediately following mitral v…

An 83-year-old woman died from decompensated right heart failure (cor pulmonale) immediately following mitral valve replacement surgery. She had chronic pulmonary hypertension secondary to severe mitral regurgitation fro…

cardiothoracic surgerycardiologydiagnosticdelay
TAShospital2022-03-09

Coroner's Finding: Salter, Lyndsay Kenneth

83y · Male·pulmonary fat embolism complicating interstitial lung disease

An 83-year-old experienced motorcyclist died from pulmonary fat embolism complicating interstitial lung disease following a compound fracture of the right tibia sustained in a motorcycle crash. Mr Salter lost concentrati…

emergency medicineorthopaedic surgery
TAShospital2021-08-13

Coroner's Finding: Mrs M

Female·multi-organ failure

Mrs M died from multi-organ failure following recurrent intra-abdominal sepsis and surgical complications after endoscopic duodenal perforation in June 2019. During resection of a duodenal adenoma, perforation occurred r…

gastroenterologygeneral surgerydiagnostic
TAShospital2021-07-02

Coroner's Finding: HB

8y · Male·acute exacerbation of chronic asthma

An 8-year-old boy with undertreated chronic asthma presented to North West Regional Hospital with acute exacerbation. Initial assessment underestimated severity. Despite initial improvement with salbutamol, ipratropium a…

paediatricsemergency medicinediagnosticcommunicationfluticasone/salmeterol
TAShospital2021-05-24

Coroner's Finding: Wade, Neville Ernest

80y · Male·acute myocardial ischaemia due to coronary atherosclerosis

Mr Wade, aged 80, died from acute myocardial infarction following knee surgery. On postoperative day 3, he developed chest symptoms, elevated troponin, and hypoxia. An ECG was performed showing acute anterior myocardial …

cardiologygeneral surgerydiagnosticcommunication
TASmental health2020-10-09

Coroner's Finding: Le Roy, Carole Ann

40y · Female·hypoxic encephalopathy due to asphyxia from hanging

A 40-year-old woman with extensive mental health history including OCD, complex trauma, severe depression, and recurrent suicidal ideation was admitted to an open psychiatric unit after expressing suicidal intent. Despit…

psychiatryintensive carediagnosticsystem
TASaged care2020-02-14

Coroner's Finding: Whitney, Margaret Ann

81y · Female·hypovolemic shock due to haemorrhage during orthopaedic repair of a femur fractu…

Margaret Ann Whitney, an 81-year-old woman with vascular dementia, died from hypovolemic shock due to haemorrhage during orthopaedic surgery for a femoral fracture sustained in a fall at her nursing home. She had been su…

geriatric medicineorthopaedic surgeryapixaban

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