Maurice Gibb’s Death Blamed on Birth Defect
MIAMI (Reuters) – Bee Gees band member Maurice Gibb died from a congenital condition that caused his small intestine to twist, cutting off the blood supply, according to an autopsy report released on Thursday.
Gibb, 53, was hospitalized last week and went into cardiac arrest before undergoing surgery for a blocked intestine. He died on Sunday at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
According to the autopsy report released by the Miami-Dade County medical examiner’s office, Gibb suffered from a volvulus, a twisting of the intestine that restricts blood flow and obstructs the bowel.
The report said the condition was present from birth, but it was unclear whether Gibb was aware of the condition.
Doctors said it sometimes causes severe pain but sometimes produces no symptoms.
With brothers Robin and Barry, Maurice helped create one of the best-selling bands of the disco era, known around the world for its 1977 soundtrack to the film “Saturday Night Fever.”
In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, Barry Gibb questioned his brother’s treatment. Mount Sinai Medical Center said it was discussing the case with Gibb’s family but would not give details, citing patient privacy laws.
The autopsy report indicated that doctors had removed most of Gibb’s small intestine in an operation but did not cite a cause for the cardiac arrest that occurred before the surgery.
Gibb was born on the Isle of Man and raised in Manchester, England. The family emigrated to Australia in 1958.
Maurice Gibb had lived in Miami Beach for years with his wife Yvonne. Hundreds of relatives and friends attended a private memorial service on Wednesday in Miami Beach.
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