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Diakonoff H, De Rocquigny G, Tourtier JP, Guigon A. Medicolegal issues of peri-anaesthetic dental injuries: A 21-years review of liability lawsuits in France. Dent Traumatol 2022; 38:391-396. [PMID: 35639817 PMCID: PMC9539868 DOI: 10.1111/edt.12770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background/Aim Peri‐anaesthetic dental injuries (PDI) represent a major source of potential malpractice claims against anesthesiologists. Studies about the medico‐legal aspects of PDI have mainly focused on liability insurance cases thus not encompassing those cases brought to court. The aim of this study was to assess the medico‐legal issues of PDI‐related liability lawsuits in France. Material and Methods A review of judicial decisions pertaining to PDI was conducted on a French legal database, spanning the period between January 2000 and October 2021. Characteristics of decisions, patients and anesthesiologists, peri‐operative care, dental injuries, and convictions were collected when available for analysis. Results Twenty‐four judicial decisions fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. All cases of dental injuries took place during elective surgery, 16 in the private sector and 8 in the public sector. Most injuries concerned two or more teeth and the most predominant dental injuries were luxation or avulsion (70.8% of cases). Eight cases resulted in a final verdict in favor of the plaintiff, four in the private sector (conviction rate: 25%), and four in the public sector (conviction rate: 50%). The causes of conviction were either a lack of information (5/8), a breach in the standard of care or technical negligence (3/8). The average amount of indemnification for the plaintiff was 3614 Euros (3753 Euros in 2022 inflation‐adjusted Euros) excluding legal fees. Conclusions The analysis of PDI‐related liability lawsuits shows that medico‐legal issues differ from those of PDI‐related insurance claims. Avulsion and luxation of multiple anterior teeth during elective surgery appear to be a risk factor for liability lawsuits. In addition, inadequacy of patient information about PDI‐risk seems to be a risk factor for conviction. Lastly, dental injuries are less at risk of civil conviction than other anesthesia‐related damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrien Diakonoff
- Université Paris Cité, Faculté de santé, UFR d'odontologie, Montrouge, France.,Service de médecine bucco-dentaire, hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France.,Institut droit et santé, INSERM UMR_S 1145, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Gaël De Rocquigny
- Service d'anesthésie-réanimation, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Bégin, Saint-Mandé, France
| | - Jean-Pierre Tourtier
- Service d'anesthésie-réanimation, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Bégin, Saint-Mandé, France
| | - Aurore Guigon
- Service d'odontologie, Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Bégin, Saint-Mandé, France
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Dental injury associated with anaesthesia: An 8-year database analysis of 592 claims from a major French insurance company. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med 2017; 37:49-53. [PMID: 28838826 DOI: 10.1016/j.accpm.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dental injury is the most common incident associated with anaesthesia. Regarding recent recommendations on informed consent and changes in airway management practices, a large series of claims related to dental injury has not been recently described. The aim of this study was to analyse a recent database in order to describe the characteristics of dental injury in France. METHODS A database that prospectively collected claims reported to Le Sou Médical-MACSF between January 2003 and December 2010, was analysed. Five hundred and ninety-two cases were reported. The following characteristics were analysed: number and type of teeth injured, mechanism of injury, anaesthetic procedure, risk factors and dental outcome after injury. RESULTS Amongst the 1514 claims related to anaesthesia, 592 (39.2%) were classified as dental damage. Preoperative informed consent concerning possible perioperative dental injury was documented in only 34.8% of patients. Only one tooth was affected in 65.2% of patients, dental bridge injury in 12.8% of cases and damage to two or more teeth in 14% of patients. Incisors were involved in 50% of cases. Fracture was the most common type of injury (64.2%). Poor dentition was the most common risk factor (23.1%) followed by difficult intubation (15.4%). Both risks were combined in only 7.6% of cases. Tracheal intubation was the highest risk procedure (41.6%). CONCLUSION Dental injury remains the most common anaesthesia-related claim. Dental examination and documentation in patient medical files requires improvement and better informed consent on dental injury risk needs to be provided to patients.
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Ruíz-López Del Prado G, Blaya-Nováková V, Saz-Parkinson Z, Álvarez-Montero ÓL, Ayala A, Muñoz-Moreno MF, Forjaz MJ. [Design and validation of an oral health questionnaire for preoperative anaesthetic evaluation]. Rev Bras Anestesiol 2016; 67:6-14. [PMID: 27692805 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjan.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Dental injuries incurred during endotracheal intubation are more frequent in patients with previous oral pathology. The study objectives were to develop an oral health questionnaire for preanaesthesia evaluation, easy to apply for personnel without special dental training; and establish a cut-off value for detecting persons with poor oral health. METHODS Validation study of a self-administered questionnaire, designed according to a literature review and an expert group's recommendations. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of patients evaluated in a preanaesthesia consultation. Rasch analysis of the questionnaire psychometric properties included viability, acceptability, content validity and reliability of the scale. RESULTS The sample included 115 individuals, 50.4% of men, with a median age of 58 years (range: 38-71). The final analysis of 11 items presented a Person Separation Index of 0.861 and good adjustment of data to the Rasch model. The scale was unidimensional and its items were not biased by sex, age or nationality. The oral health linear measure presented good construct validity. The cut-off value was set at 52 points. CONCLUSIONS The questionnaire showed sufficient psychometric properties to be considered a reliable tool, valid for measuring the state of oral health in preoperative anaesthetic evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gema Ruíz-López Del Prado
- Hospital Clínico Universitario, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Valladolid, Espanha
| | - Vendula Blaya-Nováková
- Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Madri, Espanha; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias, Madri, Espanha
| | - Zuleika Saz-Parkinson
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias, Madri, Espanha; Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Madri, Espanha
| | - Óscar Luis Álvarez-Montero
- Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Departamento de Otorrinolaringología, Madrid, Espanha; Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Departamento de Otorrinolaringología, Madri, Espanha
| | - Alba Ayala
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Madri, Espanha
| | - Maria Fe Muñoz-Moreno
- Hospital Clínico Universitario, Unidad de Investigación Biomédica, Valladolid, Espanha
| | - Maria João Forjaz
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Madri, Espanha.
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Boutonnet M, Trouiller P, Lopard E, Amalberti R, Houselstein T, Pasquier P, Auroy Y, De Saint-Maurice G. Insurance statements from French anaesthesiologists and intensivists: A database analysis. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med 2016; 35:313-321. [PMID: 27432614 DOI: 10.1016/j.accpm.2015.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND From its origins, anaesthesia is a leading medical specialty for improving patient safety. However, perioperative adverse events remain frequent and may be preventable in 50% of cases. We conducted a collaborative retrospective study analysis of the insurance-database of the MACSF-Sou Medical insurance company to assess the perioperative risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective study, including all the statements declared by anaesthesiologists to the MACSF-Sou Medical insurance company. A description of risk in perioperative medicine was performed by the assessment of these statements by three experts member of the SFAR. All the statements concerning regional anaesthesia and dental injuries were excluded. RESULTS Eight hundred and seventy statements were analyzed. The patients involved were predominantly women (sex-ratio: 0.86), with a mean age of 56 years (±18). Three hundred and fifteen cardiac arrests, 157 severe systemic complications, 340 moderate complications and 106 conflicts were analyzed. Most of the events were revealed postoperatively (79.3%) and almost half of them after the discharge of the postanesthetic care unit. The medical consequences were considered as serious. Death followed 35.9% of the events declared. Relative or true hypovolaemia and stroke were responsible for a large part of postoperative mortality and morbidity. CONCLUSION Collaborating with insurance companies allows a relevant approach of the perioperative risk. The study highlighted the importance of the delayed complications and is a plea for a more intense implication of anaesthesia in the postoperative care with the aim of improving patient safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Boutonnet
- Department of anaesthesiology and intensive care unit, Percy military teaching hospital, 101, avenue Henri-Barbusse, 92140 Clamart, France.
| | - Pierre Trouiller
- Intensive care unit, Antoine-Béclère university hospital, 157, rue de la Porte-de-Trivaux, Clamart, France
| | - Eric Lopard
- MACSF-Le Sou Médical, 10, cours du Triangle-de-l'Arche, 92919 La Défense cedex, France
| | - René Amalberti
- MACSF-Le Sou Médical, 10, cours du Triangle-de-l'Arche, 92919 La Défense cedex, France
| | - Thierry Houselstein
- MACSF-Le Sou Médical, 10, cours du Triangle-de-l'Arche, 92919 La Défense cedex, France
| | - Pierre Pasquier
- Intensive care unit, Begin military teaching hospital, 69, avenue de Paris, Saint-Mandé, France
| | - Yves Auroy
- Hospital and research division, head office of military health service, direction centrale du service de santé, Fort-Neuf de Vincennes, cours des Maréchaux, Vincennes, France
| | - Guillaume De Saint-Maurice
- Department of anaesthesiology and intensive care unit, Val-de-Grâce military teaching hospital, 74, boulevard de Port-Royal, Paris, France
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Ruíz-López Del Prado G, Blaya-Nováková V, Saz-Parkinson Z, Álvarez-Montero ÓL, Ayala A, Muñoz-Moreno MF, Forjaz MJ. Design and validation of an oral health questionnaire for preoperative anaesthetic evaluation. Braz J Anesthesiol 2016; 67:6-14. [PMID: 28017172 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2015.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Dental injuries incurred during endotracheal intubation are more frequent in patients with previous oral pathology. The study objectives were to develop an oral health questionnaire for preanaesthesia evaluation, easy to apply for personnel without special dental training; and establish a cut-off value for detecting persons with poor oral health. METHODS Validation study of a self-administered questionnaire, designed according to a literature review and an expert group's recommendations. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of patients evaluated in a preanaesthesia consultation. Rasch analysis of the questionnaire psychometric properties included viability, acceptability, content validity and reliability of the scale. RESULTS The sample included 115 individuals, 50.4% of men, with a median age of 58 years (range: 38-71). The final analysis of 11 items presented a Person Separation Index of 0.861 and good adjustment of data to the Rasch model. The scale was unidimensional and its items were not biased by sex, age or nationality. The oral health linear measure presented good construct validity. The cut-off value was set at 52 points. CONCLUSIONS The questionnaire showed sufficient psychometric properties to be considered a reliable tool, valid for measuring the state of oral health in preoperative anaesthetic evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gema Ruíz-López Del Prado
- Hospital Clínico Universitario, Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Vendula Blaya-Nováková
- Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias, Madrid, Spain
| | - Zuleika Saz-Parkinson
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Agencia de Evaluación de Tecnologías Sanitarias, Madrid, Spain; Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
| | - Óscar Luis Álvarez-Montero
- Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, Departamento de Otorrinolaringología, Madrid, Spain; Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Departamento de Otorrinolaringología, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alba Ayala
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Fe Muñoz-Moreno
- Hospital Clínico Universitario, Unidad de Investigación Biomédica, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Maria João Forjaz
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Madrid, Spain.
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Brandão Ribeiro de Sousa JM, de Barros Mourão JI. Tooth injury in anaesthesiology. Braz J Anesthesiol 2015; 65:511-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bjane.2013.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Dental injury is the most common complication of general anaesthesia and has significant physical, economic and forensic consequences. The aim of this study is to review on the characteristics of dental injury associated with anaesthesiology and existing methods of prevention. CONTENTS In this review, the time of anaesthesia in which the dental injury occurs, the affected teeth, the most frequent type of injury, established risk factors, prevention strategies, protection devices and medico-legal implications inherent to its occurrence are approached. CONCLUSIONS Before initiating any medical procedure that requires the use of classic laryngoscopy, a thorough and detailed pre-aesthetic evaluation of the dental status of the patient is imperative, in order to identify teeth at risk, analyze the presence of factors associated with difficult intubation and outline a prevention strategy that is tailored to the risk of dental injury of each patient.
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Auroy Y, Lienhart A, Benhamou D. [Dental trauma]. ANNALES FRANCAISES D'ANESTHESIE ET DE REANIMATION 2012; 31:189-90. [PMID: 22381709 DOI: 10.1016/j.annfar.2012.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Bernasinski M, Lepousé C, Bankole E, Rouche O, Milloncourt L, Leon A. [Financial and medicolegal impact of dental trauma]. ANNALES FRANCAISES D'ANESTHESIE ET DE REANIMATION 2012; 31:191-5. [PMID: 22377413 DOI: 10.1016/j.annfar.2011.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dental injuries are among the most common complications of general anesthesia. Yet few studies have assessed the costs and factors that involve the responsibility of the anesthetist. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study was conducted at the university hospital of Reims on 46 cases of dental injuries directly related to anaesthesia. RESULTS Ten patients made a claim for compensation. Two of them have received compensation following a medical expertise, which revealed for the first patient a possible alternative to general anaesthesia, and the second, hardware failure of intubation. The Administrative Court was entered once in 9 years. The global insurance-cost amounts to 4476 euros for all patients. The review of all cases of anaesthesia shows clearly that the dental claims are associated with a significant under clinical evaluation of dental status and criteria for difficult intubation during the anaesthesia. The information to the patient on this risk is not obvious from reading the anaesthesia records. No mouth guard was used. CONCLUSION This work proves that the statements of caution are the most common and a minority of dental trauma lead to a claim. Claims are due to the high cost of dental care repair. The proportion of patients receiving benefits is extremely low. Medical expertise is an essential part of the evaluation of medical responsibilities. No compensation was paid without expertise. The lack of physical examination and information are contrary to our professional obligations and may involve our responsibility. The lack of patient information is not generated for compensation to the extent that the consequences of failure are easily dental weighed against the benefits of the entire medical-surgical procedure that the patient has agreed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Bernasinski
- Centre hospitalier universitaire de Reims, 45, rue Cognacq-Jay, 51092 Reims, France.
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Nouette-Gaulain K, Lenfant F, Jacquet-Francillon D, Belbachir A, Bournigault-Nuquet A, Choquet O, Claisse A, Dujarric F, Francon D, Gentili M, Majoufre-Lefebvre C, Marciniack B, Péan D, Yavordios PG, Leone M. [French clinical guidelines for prevention of perianaesthetic dental injuries: long text]. ANNALES FRANCAISES D'ANESTHESIE ET DE REANIMATION 2012; 31:213-23. [PMID: 22377414 DOI: 10.1016/j.annfar.2012.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dental injuries represent the most common claims against the anaesthesiologists. Dental lesions are frequent complications of orotracheal intubation and major causal factors are, firstly, preexisting poor dentition, and, secondly, difficult laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. The aim of this work was to prioritize propositions for prevention in perianaesthetic dental injury and for care in case of dental trauma. METHOD A GRADE consensus procedure consisting of three rounds was conducted. A purposively selected heterogeneous panel (n=15) of experts, comprising 10 practitioners in anesthesiology, one practitioner who is jurist and anaesthesiologist, two practitioners in maxillofacial surgery, and two practitioners in dentist surgery. In cases where the data did not appear conclusive, recommendations were based on the consensus opinion of the board members. The guidelines represent the best current evidence based on literature search and professional opinion. RESULTS The entire panel completed all three rounds and 31 plus six propositions were written for adult and paediatric clinical practice in anaesthesiology, respectively. The experts highlight the interest of preoperative visit for minimizing dental injuries: the practitioner must identify risk factors for difficult intubation and ventilation, describe precisely patient's preoperative dental condition, including upper incisor most commonly involved teeth in dental trauma. Patients have to be informed by practitioner for risk dental injury and anaesthesiology staff must choose his anesthesia protocol before the induction of intubation narcosis, avoiding insufficient anaesthesia and lack of experience by the anaesthesiologist. The choice of accurate proceeding during laryngoscopy, tracheal intubation and extubation for example, can aid in the prevention of dental injury, reduce the number of claims and the cost of litigation process. DISCUSSION These guidelines delineate an approach for the prevention of perianaesthetic dental trauma and for the immediate or urgent care in case of perianaesthetic dental injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Nouette-Gaulain
- Pôle d'anesthésie réanimation, service d'anesthésie-réanimation III, université Bordeaux-Segalen, hôpital des enfants, centre hospitalier universitaire de Bordeaux, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux, France.
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