An Analysis of Anesthesia-related Medico-legal Cases Occurred in a Recent 2 Year Period

Kwon, Moo Il

Abstract

BACKGROUND: 42 anesthesia-related medico-legal cases, consulted to the Korean Society of Anesthesiologists (KSA) in a recent 2 year period (1994, 11~1996, 10) were analysed. METHOD: Results of the analysis were classified into 11 items.
RESULTS
Cases sources were 26 cases from civil court, 2 cases from criminal court, 8 cases from police stations and 6 cases from health centers, and involved surgical departments were obstetric & gynecology (17 cases), general surgery (7), orthopedic surgery (6), and others (12). Operation classification were Cesarean section (14 cases), reduction and fixations (5), gastrectomy (4) and others (19), and anesthesia methods were general anesthesia (36 cases), regional anesthesia (3), and local anesthesia (3). Involved hospitals were university hospitals (15), general hospitals (16) and private clinics (11), and involved anesthesiologists (anesthetists) were certified anesthesiologists (34), nurse anesthetists (3), and others (5). Patient's ages were classified into 0~20 years old (4), 20~40 years old (23), 40~60 years old (13) and over 60 years old (2), and patient's sex ratio was 16 (male) to 26 (female). Outcome of victims were deaths (26 cases), severe brain damages (10) and nerve injuries (6), and autopsy findings were hypoxic brain edema (4 cases), coronary artery diseases (3), and other findings (4). Causes of medico-legal problems were hypoxemia by ventilatory failure (12), pre-existing diseases (4), embolisms followed by operation (2), malignant hyperthermia (1), and uncertain cases (21).
CONCLUSION
The most common cause of medico-legal problems was hypoxemia by ventilatory failure.