A coroner said he had “concerns” over the incident and whether the patient’s life could have been saved.
Cerebral palsy patient John Ioannou, 61, was found dead at his assisted living complex in Snakes Lane, Woodford Green, on June 24.
The Metropolitan Police Service attended the sudden death and reported it to East London Coroner’s Court for investigation.
The court heard on Thursday (July 10) that Mr Ioannou had to be fed through a percutaneous endoscopic gastronomy (PEG) tube – a tube inserted into the stomach.
In June, he “developed an infection”, senior coroner Graeme Irvine said.
On June 23, he attended the emergency department at Whipps Cross.
“It would appear that Mr Ioannou was treated and then discharged on the same day and on the following morning, Mr Ioannou was found deceased,” said Mr Irvine.
His cause of death has been given as peritonitis (an inflammation of the abdominal lining), caused by an infected PEG tube, against a background of congenital cerebral palsy.
“This information leads me to have concerns as to the discharge from Whipps Cross Hospital,” said Mr Irvine.
“It seems to me that I will need to examine whether or not there were missed opportunities to provide treatment to Mr Ioannou which would have preserved his life.”
He declared both Mr Ioannou’s family and the Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs Whipps Cross, “interested persons” – a legal status entitling them to view evidence ahead of the final inquest, be legally represented and question any witnesses called to testify.
He asked Mr Ioannou’s family to supply a statement about his life and “any concerns that they have regarding the death”.
He said the statement should incorporate anything they knew about his hospital attendance on June 23 or the discovery of his death on June 24.
The final inquest was provisionally scheduled for January.
A Barts Health spokesperson said: “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr Ioannou. We will support the coroner’s investigation and assist with any enquiries the court may have.”
