A young man died after an ear infection developed into an abscess on the brain in a rare complication, an inquest has heard. Connor McPike, 24, died in the afternoon of February 13 this year after being found unresponsive in his room by his mother.
She raised concerns ahead of the inquest that telephone consultations they and had with their GP were 'not sufficient' and that if he was seen face-to-face he may have been taken to the hospital for quicker treatment. However, records shown later in the inquest by GP Dr Hari Sukhavasi outlined they had chosen to be treated via telephone consultation and they could have been seen face-to-face if they wanted to.
Connor lived at home on Devonshire Road, Atherton, and had a history of developing ear infections according to a statement from his mum, Claire Sutton, which was read out by area coroner Peter Sigee. She said that "he was very much loved and very sadly missed".
Her statement said that he had been diagnosed with autism in his early 20s and was a 'quiet' boy who spent a lot of his time in his bedroom. In January this year the 24-year-old developed headaches and vomiting with Claire finding a lump behind his ear.
She said that Connor had been "refused" to be seen and instead he was prescribed antibiotics after a telephone consultation about his symptoms. She added she had begged him to go to A&E when his symptoms worsened but he would not listed to her but would have gone if told by the GP face-to-face.
After a few days on antibiotics Conner reported feeling a "bit better" on February 9. But, on the morning of February 13 Claire text Connor which went without reply and when she went into his room around 3.40pm she found him unresponsive. An ambulance was called but Connor was pronounced dead soon after their arrival.
Pathologist Dr Naveen Sharma told the inquest at Bolton Coroners' Court that an abscess was found on the left side of Connor's brain which had been caused as a result of an ear infection on the same side. Dr Sharma described a brain abscess forming as a result of an ear infection as a "rare complication", despite ear infections being very common.
The inquest heard that Connor had been a patient at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan a number of times since the early 2000s due to ear infections. He was in the process of being referred back to the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) department at the hospital before his death.
Dr Hari Sukhavasi, GP at Meadow View Surgery in Atherton, described how due to Covid regulations patients booking appointments could choose to come in or be dealt with in other ways, such as over the phone. Dr Sukhavasi said that the surgery's records showed that a request for a telephone appointment for Connor was made on January 28 describing a lump behind his ear.
Another phone call request was made on January 31 with Connor now becoming sick after taking the antibiotics. Claire reported that Connor did not have a temperature and was "otherwise feeling fine," Dr Sukhavasi said.
He told her that he would write to Royal Albert Edward hospital to make some appointments for Connor and put him on similar drugs that he had been on in previous years to tackle ear infections. He also said if his symptoms did not improve in five days to come to the GP for an examination. However, the next he heard about Connor was that he had passed away.
Coroner Sigee asked Dr Sukhavasi if they could have been seen face-to-face which he confirmed to the court they could have been. "I don't recall her asking for a face-to-face at that time, we as a practice were seeing people that needed to be seen," he added.
Dr Sukhavasi said they give advice to all patients that they should come back to the practice sooner if their situation deteriorates or go to A&E if it becomes much worse.
Concluding Connor's death as natural causes, coroner Sigee said: "Mr McPike had an underlying diagnosis of autism and he had a history of recurrent ear infections for which he had previously been referred to the ENT team on various occasions. The ENT team had provided some treatment to Mr McPike for these infections and had recommended further investigations. The investigation had not been fully completed because Mr McPike had missed appointments and been discharged from the ENT service."
He added: "On January 31 Mr McPike's mother requested a further telephone consultation with the GP. She reported some ongoing discharge from his left ear but no temperature or other symptoms...He decided to refer him back to the ENT team with a view to them completeing investigations which they had previously recommended for Mr McPike.
"The GP advised that further contact should be made if Mr McPike did not imporve within five days or if his symptoms deteriorated. He did not seek further medical care prior to his death. Mr McPike's death was caused by a rare but natural disease process, namely a brain abscess caused by an infection of the left ear."
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