   **  THIS CASE WAS REFERRED TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER DEPARTMENT BY DR. RAUL VILA, WHO HAD BEEN SECURED BY THE DECEASED'S FAMILY TO PERFORM AN AUTOPSY ON THE DECEASED.
DR. VILA STATED THAT FAMILY WERE MAKING ALLEGATIONS OF PROBABLE WRONGDOING BY THE DECEASED'S WIFE WHO IS TWENTY (23) YEARS YOUNGER THAN HIM. ** 
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     ACCORDING TO INFORMATION ON PALM SPRINGS HOSPITAL MEDICAL CHART, THE DECEASED WAS ADMITTED TO THE AFOREMENTIONED HOSPITAL ON AUGUST 27,1996 WITH COMPLAINT OF ACUTE PAIN IN RIGHT UPPER QUADRANT OF ABDOMEN. WAS LETHARGIC AND NOT ANSWERING CORRECT TO QUESTIONS.  WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL TO RULE OUT ACUTE CHOLECYSTITIS AND CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE. HE HAD HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION AND OF ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME.   IMPRESSION:  HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY. CONFUSION.  A LIVER SCAN WAS DONE ON AUGUST 30,1996 AND SHOWED DIFFUSE HEPATOCELLULAR DISEASE. A CT SCAN WAS REPEATED ON SEPTEMBER 5,1996 AND SHOWED ATROPHY AND LOW DENSITY AREA IN FRONTAL LOBE. HE UNDERWENT A CHOLECYSTECTOMY ON AUGUST 27,1996 AND AFTER IT HAD HAD ACUTE RENAL FAILURE AND FEVER.  HIS CONDITION CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE BECOMING COMPLICATED WITH SEPSIS, ANEMIA, HYPOXEMIA, AND MULTISYSTEM ORGAN FAILURE. HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD ON SEPTEMBER 20,1996 AT 1:55 PM.


                            ***     AMENDED ON OCTOBER 31,1996   ----    IP    ***