Investig Clin Urol.  2017 Sep;58(5):317-323. 10.4111/icu.2017.58.5.317.

Analysis of closed medical litigation in urology

• Shin SH
• Kim SY
• Jang SG
• Lee W

• KMID: 2388047
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/icu.2017.58.5.317

Abstract

PURPOSE
The objective of this study was to provide a descriptive understanding of the characteristics of malpractice litigation related to urology by examining court cases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 6,074 court cases related to medical malpractice litigation filed between 2005 and 2010 were received from the Lower Courts, the Appellate Courts, and the Supreme Court of Korea. Of the received cases, 34 urology-related civil proceedings were analyzed. The following information was compiled and investigated from the cases: background, age and sex of patient, categorization of the defendant, opinion of the court, amount claimed and awarded in damages, type of medical treatment involved, and negative effects resulting from the medical accident.
RESULTS
The average amount in damages paid out to plaintiffs in this research was 27,186,504±32,371,008 Korean won (KRW) (range, 1,000,000-100,000,000 KRW). A total of 9 of the 34 analyzed cases (26.5%) ruled in favor of the plaintiff, with all 9 cases involving a surgery. An analysis of the surgery sites further revealed that the penis was the most frequently litigated over site of surgery, making up 14 of the 35 sites (40.0%).
CONCLUSIONS
Information regarding urology malpractice lawsuits should be made available to help prevent further disputes and litigation. Continuous efforts must be expended in the prevention of accidents and disputes, alongside research into urology-related cases beyond 2010. Extensive cause analysis and recurrence prevention methods must also be researched to enhance overall patient safety.

Keyword

Jurisprudence; Legal liability; Malpractice; Urology

MeSH Terms

Awards and Prizes
Dissent and Disputes
Humans
Jurisprudence*
Korea
Liability, Legal
Male
Malpractice
Patient Safety
Penis
Recurrence
Urology*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Classification of cases by judgment.

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  Fig. 2 Site of surgerya. a:Total number of sites exceeds the number of patients, as cases exist where more than 2 surgeries were performed on a single patient.

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