Alex Theodossiadis: DJ had 'chance of life' before Leeds hospital fall

Alex Theodossiadis had an international reputation as a DJ, his mother said

A DJ who died after contracting meningitis could have had a "chance of life" if he had not fallen and banged his head in hospital, an inquest heard.

Alex Theodossiadis, 25, died after he was taken to Leeds General Infirmary and then to the city's St James's Hospital in January 2020.

His mother told the inquest of her concerns about her son's falls while in a confused state at St James's.

Prof Sue Theodossiadis said: "After he fell, he had no chance of life."

She told the Wakefield coroner Kevin McLoughlin: "He did have a chance and that was taken away by the falls as far as I'm concerned."

"Our view is that Alex was very alive. He was poorly, but alive."

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Prof Theodossiadis, an expert in medical imaging, said she had rushed to Leeds from her home in Hale, Greater Manchester, with her husband, also named Alex Theodossiadis, a consultant psychiatrist.

The couple later went home to eat because they were told her son's condition had not changed, she said.

A CT scan was normal and her son was not being recommended for neurosurgery.

Prof Theodossiadis said they were then called by an "incredibly panicky" nurse who told them to come back.

Alex Theodossiadis started having flu-like symptoms in January 2020, an inquest heard

At St James's, Mr Theodossiadis was on a ventilator and his parents were told he had fallen, banged his head and stopped breathing.

This was a "dramatic deterioration", said his mother.

She told the inquest she had a number of further concerns about treatment after her son started having flu-like symptoms on 16 January 2020 and developed severe migraine headaches.

On 20 January, Mr Theodossiadis struggled to get a GP appointment, eventually managing to book one for 10 February, his mother said.

As he continued to deteriorate, he went to a walk-in clinic on 24 January and was given strong painkillers for his migraine-type headaches by a nurse practitioner who told the court she did not see any signs of meningitis or she would have sent him to hospital.

A day later Mr Theodossiadis was so ill his flat-mate took him by taxi to the A&E at LGI.

'Tipping point'

Consultant neuropathologist Arundhati Chakrabarty told the inquest that a bleed on the brain was a contributing factor to Mr Theodossiadis's primary cause of death, which was sepsis caused by meningitis.

Asked whether the bleed could have contributed to the rapid deterioration noted by his mother, Dr Chakrabarty said it "probably was the tipping point".

But asked whether Mr Theodossiadis would have died from meningitis anyway, she said "yes".

At a different hearing earlier this week, the coroner, Kevin McLoughlin, noted similarities between Mr Theodossiadis' case and that of David Nash, 26, who died in Leeds in November 2020.

Mr Nash, 26, had four remote consultations at a Leeds GP practice but none spotted he had an ear condition that caused a brain abscess, sparking meningitis, his family have said.

He was taken to St James's Hospital where he fell, causing an injury to his head, while he was left in a confused state, according to his parents. His inquest has been moved to next year.

The inquest into Mr Theodossiadis's death was adjourned until 30 November when it is set to conclude.