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Champion body builder Luke Wood is likely to have still died from a massive haemorrhage following a kidney transplant, even if doctors had seized on missed opportunities to treat him, a coroner has found.
Mr Wood was eight weeks away from his wedding when he died at Sydney's Westmead Hospital from a massive internal haemorrhage on August 31, 2011.
The 35-year-old had undergone a kidney transplant 11 days earlier, but his body soon started showing signs of rejecting the organ.
His death was investigated by the NSW Coroner as the family claimed the hospital was hiding the truth.
Deputy NSW Coroner Sharon Freund drew on the evidence of Australia's longest-serving emergency department director Professor Gordian Fulde as she handed down her decision on Wednesday, the*Sydney Morning Herald*reports.*
'I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that unfortunately, though adequate, there were some missed opportunities in relation to Luke's care and treatment,' Ms Freund said.
'However, I am also of the view that had these opportunities been seized it is unlikely the ultimate outcome would have changed at the end of the day.'
Mr Wood had undergone a kidney transplant on August 10, but on August 23 his body started showing signs of rejecting the organ.*
He was taken to hospital and given drugs as dark bruises appeared on his abdomen.
He was discharged on August 26 and told to return for daily check-ups for a month, but died five days later when he collapsed at his home.
His death had been examined by the NSW Coroner - with a particular focus on his treatment at Westmead Hospital.
His fiance told reporters outside the Glebe Coroners Court on October 20 that his family feel cheated.
'Obviously there's something that's happened that they're trying to hide and we just want the truth to come out,' Nora Haddad said, with her sister and Mr Wood's sister at her side.
She described her fiance as an inspirational, humble, gentle giant who spent lots of time with fans.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had personally invited Mr Wood to his eponymous bodybuilding competition.
As a younger man Mr Wood played with the Canterbury-Bankstown and Balmain Rugby League junior clubs, where he developed his interest in bodybuilding.
Questions have been raised about whether Mr Wood was on steroids and if they played a part in his death.
'Luke admitted to use of steroids to some medical practitioners,' counsel assisting the coroner Patrick Griffin said on Monday.
'His musculature was consistent with the use of steroids.'
But Ms Haddad said she didn't believe that steroids should be an issue in this case.
Mr Wood - also known as 'Big Luke' - was*a six-time winner of the Australian Body Building Championships, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Mr Wood was eight weeks away from his wedding when he died at Sydney's Westmead Hospital from a massive internal haemorrhage on August 31, 2011.
The 35-year-old had undergone a kidney transplant 11 days earlier, but his body soon started showing signs of rejecting the organ.
His death was investigated by the NSW Coroner as the family claimed the hospital was hiding the truth.
Deputy NSW Coroner Sharon Freund drew on the evidence of Australia's longest-serving emergency department director Professor Gordian Fulde as she handed down her decision on Wednesday, the*Sydney Morning Herald*reports.*
'I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that unfortunately, though adequate, there were some missed opportunities in relation to Luke's care and treatment,' Ms Freund said.
'However, I am also of the view that had these opportunities been seized it is unlikely the ultimate outcome would have changed at the end of the day.'
Mr Wood had undergone a kidney transplant on August 10, but on August 23 his body started showing signs of rejecting the organ.*
He was taken to hospital and given drugs as dark bruises appeared on his abdomen.
He was discharged on August 26 and told to return for daily check-ups for a month, but died five days later when he collapsed at his home.
His death had been examined by the NSW Coroner - with a particular focus on his treatment at Westmead Hospital.
His fiance told reporters outside the Glebe Coroners Court on October 20 that his family feel cheated.
'Obviously there's something that's happened that they're trying to hide and we just want the truth to come out,' Nora Haddad said, with her sister and Mr Wood's sister at her side.
She described her fiance as an inspirational, humble, gentle giant who spent lots of time with fans.
Arnold Schwarzenegger had personally invited Mr Wood to his eponymous bodybuilding competition.
As a younger man Mr Wood played with the Canterbury-Bankstown and Balmain Rugby League junior clubs, where he developed his interest in bodybuilding.
Questions have been raised about whether Mr Wood was on steroids and if they played a part in his death.
'Luke admitted to use of steroids to some medical practitioners,' counsel assisting the coroner Patrick Griffin said on Monday.
'His musculature was consistent with the use of steroids.'
But Ms Haddad said she didn't believe that steroids should be an issue in this case.
Mr Wood - also known as 'Big Luke' - was*a six-time winner of the Australian Body Building Championships, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.