Inquest probes death of Jeremy Dane Wotton who was ‘misdiagnosed’ at Modbury Hospital while suffering a stroke

A man in the middle of a life-threatening stroke was allegedly misdiagnosed with an inner-ear infection and sent home with anti-nausea medication. An inquest is now looking into his death.

A man in the middle of a life-threatening stroke was misdiagnosed as only suffering from an inner-ear infection and sent home with some anti-nausea medication, an inquest has heard.

Jeremy Dane Wotton, 57, died on June 9, 2018, five days after visiting Modbury Hospital.

An inquest into Mr Wotton’s death started last week before Coroner Naomi Kereru.

Counsel assisting the coroner John Wilson said he expected an expert neurologist would be critical of Mr Wotton’s treatment while at Modbury Hospital.

Mr Wilson said that on the June 3, 2018, Mr Wotton started experiencing neck pain and nausea.

A locum doctor was called to Mr Wotton’s house in the early hours of the next morning.

The doctor was concerned Mr Wotton might have been having a heart attack and an ambulance was called.

“The SA Ambulance Service case card reports that Mr Wotton reported giddiness, hypertension, blurred vision and chronic back and neck pain,” Mr Wilson said.

He arrived at Modbury Hospital just after 3.30am.

Registered nurse Kathryn Boardman took a detailed medical history for Mr Wotton which included diabetes and chronic high blood pressure against a background of smoking, drinking alcohol and being overweight.

Two weeks before the stroke which would take his life, Mr Wotton had been diagnosed with a viral inner-ear infection.

Jeremy Dane Wotton was misdiagnosed at the Modbury Hospital as suffering an inner-ear infection when he was in the midst of a stroke, an inquest has heard. Picture: Emma Brasier

Dr Lily Du, a staff member at the Modbury Hospital emergency department, diagnosed Mr Wotton with peripheral vertigo as a result of his earlier inner-ear infection.

The inquest heard her case notes mentioned Mr Wotton was suffering blurred vision.

He was given anti-nausea medication and discharged at 6.56am.

Mr Wotton returned home and went to bed. However, just under four hours after his discharge an ambulance was called again to his home after Mr Wotton’s condition had drastically worsened.

He woke with the left side of his face drooping, slurred speech, worsened vision and weakness to the left side of his body.

He was rushed to the Lyell McEwin Hospital and then transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital to have surgery to remove a blood clot.

Mr Wotton was transferred back to the Lyell McEwin Hospital on June 5, but one day later was returned to the RAH as his condition declined.

On June 8, doctors at the RAH declared that Mr Wotton had suffered profound brain damage as a result of the stroke. He died a day later.

Mr Wilson said expert neurologist Professor Craig Anderson had reviewed Mr Wotton’s clinical notes and was not critical of his care after being admitted to the Lyell McEwin Hospital.

“However, I anticipate that he will be critical of Mr Wotton’s treatment at Modbury Hospital, in particular that he appears to have been misdiagnosed and sent home,” Mr Wilson said.

“He will give evidence that acute stroke is highly likely when there are additional neurological symptoms other than dizziness, including eye issues.”

The inquest continues.