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Sun HH, An C, Drozd A, Rhodes S, Sellke N, Tay K, Mishra K, Scarberry K, Gupta S, Thirumavalavan N. Legal Outcomes of Litigation After Iatrogenic Genitourinary Trauma. Urology 2024; 189:49-54. [PMID: 38782126 DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2024.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate plaintiff and defendant characteristics associated with iatrogenic genitourinary (GU) trauma litigation and outcomes of closed claims. METHODS LexisNexis was queried in April 2023 using terms related to GU organs and injury, and manually reviewed for iatrogenic cases. Case details including defendant, organ involvement, and legal outcome were obtained. Multinomial regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with outcome. RESULTS Four hundred ten cases involving 611 defendants were identified, with the ureter the most commonly affected organ (202/410, 49.3%). Most cases involved adult plaintiffs (380, 92.7%) and resulted in favor of the defense (227, 55.4%). Injuries resulted most frequently from gynecologic surgeries (179, 43.7%). Defendants were most commonly obstetricians/gynecologists (243/611, 39.8%) and urologists (168, 27.5%). Penile (OR 6.3 [95% CI 2.5-16.1]) and urethral (OR 4.8 [2.0-11.7]) injuries were associated with greater odds of a plaintiff verdict relative to ureter injury. A plaintiff verdict was also more likely when defendants were academic hospitals compared to individual practitioners (OR 4.3 [1.9-9.9]). In cases ruling in favor of the plaintiff, indemnity payments were larger when the defendants were comprised of individual practitioners compared to a hospital or medical group (median $549,613 vs $250,000, P <.001). CONCLUSION Urologists may be involved in medical malpractice lawsuits for iatrogenic injury even when they are uninvolved in the index procedure. Most cases that reach litigation result in defense verdicts regardless of the GU organ injured. Defendant characteristics associated with plaintiff verdicts are more nuanced, and providers should be aware of potential downstream effects of litigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen H Sun
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.
| | - Crystal An
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Andrew Drozd
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Stephen Rhodes
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH
| | - Nicholas Sellke
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Kimberly Tay
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Kirtishri Mishra
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Kyle Scarberry
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Shubham Gupta
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Nannan Thirumavalavan
- Urology Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Health System, Cleveland, OH; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
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Zhang Z, Huang R, Xie T, Zeng Q, Liu L, Zou X, Zhang G, Yuan Y, Wu G, He Z, Wu Y, Xu H. Laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy with bladder flap for benign ureteral stenosis: our initial experience. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2041. [PMID: 38263443 PMCID: PMC10805737 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52497-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
To present our experience with laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy with bladder flap (LUCBF) for treating benign ureteral stenosis and evaluate its feasibility and efficacy. The clinical data of 27 patients with benign ureteral stenosis who underwent LUCBF were retrospectively analyzed. After identification and excision of the ureteral stenosis segment, the healthy ureteral stump was dissected and incised longitudinally. A U-shaped or spiral bladder flap was harvested from the anterolateral bladder wall for ureteroplasty. All patients underwent LUCBF successfully, including 14 patients were combined with psoas hitch technique, between 90 and 220 min (median, 155 min). The median length of ureteral defect was 6 cm (range, 5-17 cm). The median blood loss was 40 ml (20-150 ml). The median indwelling time of double-J stent was 8 weeks (range, 4-8 weeks). Five patients (10.6%) suffered postoperative complications during the follow-up period (range, 12-48 months), including fever, hematuria, urinary tract infection and recurrent stenosis. The success rate was 96.3% (26/27). Patients with long ureter defects had longer operative time and more blood loss than short ureter defects. LUCBF was a safe and feasible technique for benign ureteral stenosis. Long ureter defect was related to longer operative time and more blood loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaolin Zhang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ruohui Huang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Tianpeng Xie
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Qingming Zeng
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Linwei Liu
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zou
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Guoxi Zhang
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuanhu Yuan
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Gengqing Wu
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Zhihua He
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuting Wu
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University, No. 128, Jinling Road, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China.
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de'Angelis N, Schena CA, Marchegiani F, Reitano E, De Simone B, Wong GYM, Martínez-Pérez A, Abu-Zidan FM, Agnoletti V, Aisoni F, Ammendola M, Ansaloni L, Bala M, Biffl W, Ceccarelli G, Ceresoli M, Chiara O, Chiarugi M, Cimbanassi S, Coccolini F, Coimbra R, Di Saverio S, Diana M, Dioguardi Burgio M, Fraga G, Gavriilidis P, Gurrado A, Inchingolo R, Ingels A, Ivatury R, Kashuk JL, Khan J, Kirkpatrick AW, Kim FJ, Kluger Y, Lakkis Z, Leppäniemi A, Maier RV, Memeo R, Moore EE, Ordoñez CA, Peitzman AB, Pellino G, Picetti E, Pikoulis M, Pisano M, Podda M, Romeo O, Rosa F, Tan E, Ten Broek RP, Testini M, Tian Wei Cheng BA, Weber D, Sacco E, Sartelli M, Tonsi A, Dal Moro F, Catena F. 2023 WSES guidelines for the prevention, detection, and management of iatrogenic urinary tract injuries (IUTIs) during emergency digestive surgery. World J Emerg Surg 2023; 18:45. [PMID: 37689688 PMCID: PMC10492308 DOI: 10.1186/s13017-023-00513-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Iatrogenic urinary tract injury (IUTI) is a severe complication of emergency digestive surgery. It can lead to increased postoperative morbidity and mortality and have a long-term impact on the quality of life. The reported incidence of IUTIs varies greatly among the studies, ranging from 0.3 to 1.5%. Given the high volume of emergency digestive surgery performed worldwide, there is a need for well-defined and effective strategies to prevent and manage IUTIs. Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding the prevention, detection, and management of IUTIs in the emergency setting. The present guidelines, promoted by the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES), were developed following a systematic review of the literature and an international expert panel discussion. The primary aim of these WSES guidelines is to provide evidence-based recommendations to support clinicians and surgeons in the prevention, detection, and management of IUTIs during emergency digestive surgery. The following key aspects were considered: (1) effectiveness of preventive interventions for IUTIs during emergency digestive surgery; (2) intra-operative detection of IUTIs and appropriate management strategies; (3) postoperative detection of IUTIs and appropriate management strategies and timing; and (4) effectiveness of antibiotic therapy (including type and duration) in case of IUTIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola de'Angelis
- Unit of Colorectal and Digestive Surgery, DIGEST Department, Beaujon University Hospital, AP-HP, Clichy, Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Carlo Alberto Schena
- Unit of Colorectal and Digestive Surgery, DIGEST Department, Beaujon University Hospital, AP-HP, Clichy, Paris, France.
| | - Francesco Marchegiani
- Unit of Colorectal and Digestive Surgery, DIGEST Department, Beaujon University Hospital, AP-HP, Clichy, Paris, France
| | - Elisa Reitano
- Department of General Surgery, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, CHRU-Strasbourg, Research Institute Against Digestive Cancer (IRCAD), 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Belinda De Simone
- Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Guastalla Hospital, AUSL-IRCCS Reggio, Emilia, Italy
| | - Geoffrey Yuet Mun Wong
- Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2065, Australia
| | - Aleix Martínez-Pérez
- Unit of Colorectal Surgery, Department of General and Digestive Surgery, Hospital Universitario Doctor Peset, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fikri M Abu-Zidan
- The Research Office, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, UAE
| | - Vanni Agnoletti
- Department of General and Emergency Surgery, Bufalini Hospital-Level 1 Trauma Center, Cesena, Italy
| | - Filippo Aisoni
- Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Università Degli Studi Di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Michele Ammendola
- Science of Health Department, Digestive Surgery Unit, University "Magna Graecia" Medical School, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Luca Ansaloni
- Department of General Surgery, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Miklosh Bala
- Acute Care Surgery and Trauma Unit, Department of General Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Kiriat Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Walter Biffl
- Division of Trauma/Acute Care Surgery, Scripps Clinic Medical Group, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Graziano Ceccarelli
- General Surgery, San Giovanni Battista Hospital, USL Umbria 2, Foligno, Italy
| | - Marco Ceresoli
- General and Emergency Surgery, School of Medicine and Surgery, Milano-Bicocca University, Monza, Italy
| | - Osvaldo Chiara
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda Milano, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Chiarugi
- General, Emergency and Trauma Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefania Cimbanassi
- General Surgery and Trauma Team, ASST Niguarda Milano, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Coccolini
- General, Emergency and Trauma Department, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Raul Coimbra
- Riverside University Health System Medical Center, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Salomone Di Saverio
- Unit of General Surgery, San Benedetto del Tronto Hospital, av5 Asur Marche, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy
| | - Michele Diana
- Department of General Surgery, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, CHRU-Strasbourg, Research Institute Against Digestive Cancer (IRCAD), 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Gustavo Fraga
- Department of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Paschalis Gavriilidis
- Department of HBP Surgery, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry, CV2 2DX, UK
| | - Angela Gurrado
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, Unit of Academic General Surgery "V. Bonomo", University of Bari "A. Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Riccardo Inchingolo
- Unit of Interventional Radiology, F. Miulli Hospital, 70021, Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Italy
| | - Alexandre Ingels
- Department of Urology, Henri Mondor Hospital, University of Paris Est Créteil (UPEC), 94000, Créteil, France
| | - Rao Ivatury
- Professor Emeritus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jeffry L Kashuk
- Department of Surgery, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Jim Khan
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, University of Portsmouth, Southwick Hill Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Andrew W Kirkpatrick
- Departments of Surgery and Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, AB, EG23T2N 2T9, Canada
| | - Fernando J Kim
- Division of Urology, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Yoram Kluger
- Division of General Surgery, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Zaher Lakkis
- Department of Digestive Surgical Oncology - Liver Transplantation Unit, University Hospital of Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Ari Leppäniemi
- Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ronald V Maier
- Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Riccardo Memeo
- Unit of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, General Regional Hospital "F. Miulli", Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Bari, Italy
| | - Ernest E Moore
- Ernest E. Moore Shock Trauma Center at Denver Health, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Carlos A Ordoñez
- Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia
- Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
| | - Andrew B Peitzman
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC-Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Gianluca Pellino
- Colorectal Surgery Unit, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Edoardo Picetti
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Parma University Hospital, Parma, Italy
| | - Manos Pikoulis
- 3rd Department of Surgery, Attikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), Athens, Greece
| | - Michele Pisano
- 1st General Surgery Unit, Department of Emergency, ASST Papa Giovanni Hospital Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Mauro Podda
- Department of Emergency Surgery, Cagliari University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Fausto Rosa
- Emergency and Trauma Surgery Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Edward Tan
- Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mario Testini
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, Unit of Academic General Surgery "V. Bonomo", University of Bari "A. Moro", Bari, Italy
| | | | - Dieter Weber
- Department of Trauma Surgery, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia
| | - Emilio Sacco
- Department of Urology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Di Roma, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Alfredo Tonsi
- Digestive Diseases Department, Royal Sussex County Hospital, University Hospitals Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Fabrizio Dal Moro
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy
| | - Fausto Catena
- Department of General and Emergency Surgery, Bufalini Hospital-Level 1 Trauma Center, Cesena, Italy.
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Deng L, Tang S, Dou Y, Li Y, Liang Z, Wang Y. The efficacy of ureteroscopic triage in increasing the cure rate of the first-line treatment for a ureterovaginal fistula resulting from radical hysterectomy. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18389. [PMID: 37520954 PMCID: PMC10374918 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Study objective To explore the effect of pretreatment with ureteroscopic triage for iatrogenic ureterovaginal fistula (UVF) resulting from radical hysterectomy. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting Department of gynecology at a tertiary medical center. Patients Women diagnosed with UVF secondary to radical hysterectomy at our center between April 2008 to June 2018. Interventions The patients were divided into two groups according to whether pretreatment with ureteroscopic triage was performed. Those in the non-triage group underwent retrograde placement of a double-J stent immediately following diagnosis as the first-line therapy. Patients in the triage group were first evaluated under ureteroscopy, their ureteral injuries were then classified into different grades and then underwent different treatments as the first-line therapy, including stent placement or reconstruction surgeries. The cure rate of the first-line therapy and the timeliness of the implementation of adjuvant radiotherapy were subsequently analyzed. Measurements and main results Ninety-eight UVF patients were included. The demographics, ECOG status, stage of cervical cancer (FIGO 2009), types and onset time of symptoms were not different between the two groups. There were 54 patients in the nontriage group, with an overall first-line cure rate of 70.4% and a timely implementation rate of adjuvant radiotherapy of 38.5%. There were 44 patients in the evaluation group, with an overall first-line cure rate of 93.2% and a timely implementation rate of adjuvant radiotherapy of 90.0%. The differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion Ureteroscopic triage of ureteral injuries can guide the selection of the optimal first-line therapy for patients with UVF secondary to radical hysterectomy, increase the cure rate and ensure the timely implementation of adjuvant radiotherapy.
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Cebeci OÖ. Is endourological intervention a suitable treatment option in the management of iatrogenic thermal ureteral injury? A contemporary case series. BMC Urol 2022; 22:137. [PMID: 36057579 PMCID: PMC9441037 DOI: 10.1186/s12894-022-01094-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Iatrogenic ureteral injury (IUI) is relatively rare, however, can cause sepsis, kidney failure, and death. Most cases of IUI are not recognized until the patient presents with symptoms following pelvic surgery or radiotherapy. Recently, minimally invasive approaches have been used more frequently in the treatment of IUI. This study evaluates urological intervention success rates and long-term clinical outcomes according to the type of IUI following hysterectomy. METHODS Twenty-seven patients who underwent surgery due to IUI in our clinic following hysterectomy were evaluated between January 2011 and April 2018. Patients were classified according to the time of diagnosis of IUI. The IUI cases diagnosed within the first 24 h following hysterectomy were designated as "immediate" IUI, while that diagnosed late period was considered 'delayed' IUI. The type of IUI was categorized as "cold transection" if it was due to surgical dissection or ligation without any thermal energy, and "thermal injury" if it was related to any energy-based surgical device. Patient information, laboratory and perioperative data, imaging studies, and complications were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS All cases of delayed diagnosis IUI were secondary to laparoscopic hysterectomy (P = 0.041). Patients with thermal injury to the ureter were mostly diagnosed late (delayed) (P = 0.029). While 31% of the patients who underwent endourological intervention were diagnosed immediately, 69% of them were diagnosed as delayed. These rates were roughly reversed for open reconstructive surgery: 73% and 27% (P = 0.041), respectively. We detected eight ureteral complications in our patient cohort following the urological intervention. In all these failed cases, the cause of IUI was a thermal injury (P = 0.046) and the patients had received endourological treatment (P = 0.005). No complications were detected in patients who undergo open urological reconstructive surgery. While one of the patients who developed urological complications had an immediate diagnosis, seven were in the delayed group (P = 0.016). CONCLUSION Endourological intervention is performed more frequently in delayed diagnosed IUI following hysterectomy, however, the treatment success rate is low if thermal damage has developed in the ureter. Surgical reconstruction is should be preferred in these thermal injury cases to avoid further ureter-related complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oğuz Özden Cebeci
- Department of Urology, Kocaeli Derince Traning and Research Hospital, Saglik Bilimleri University, Ibni Sina Blv 1, 41200, Derince, Kocaeli, Turkey.
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Evaluation of Medical Malpractice in Urology Cases Resulting in Death. JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.16899/jcm.1034411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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Li KD, Hakam N, Low P, Lui J, Sadighian MJ, Nabavizadeh B, Shaw NM, Breyer BN. A Legal Database Review of Circumcision Related Litigation in the United States. Urology 2021; 160:94-101. [PMID: 34788667 DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize circumcision-related litigation in the United States (US) and factors predictive of lawsuit outcome. Circumcision is a common urologic procedure with medical and ethical nuances. METHODS We reviewed the Nexis Uni legal database for state and federal cases using the term "circumcision" in combination with "medical malpractice" or "negligence" or "medical error" or "complication" or "malpractice" or "tort". Litigation primarily related to circumcision from 1939 to 2021 were reviewed for medical and legal details. RESULTS We identified 77 unique cases. Most cases were processed in state (87%) or appellate (59%) court systems with negligent surgical performance as the most common lawsuit reason (49%). Of reported specialties, urology was the highest proportion represented among named physicians (29%) and most patients were minors at time of circumcision (64%) and lawsuit (59%). Common complications included aesthetic dissatisfaction (20%), pain (19%), impaired sexual function (17%) and surgical trauma/injury (16%). Most verdicts favored physicians (59%), but when against physicians, the median indemnity was $175,000. Lawsuits due to negligent informed consent were significantly more likely to result in verdict favoring the physician compared to those due to negligent surgical performance. CONCLUSIONS Circumcision-related litigation in the US is rare and trial verdicts favor physicians, particularly in federal court cases or when parties allege negligent informed consent. Cases that favored plaintiffs successfully alleged negligent surgical technique. We recommend physicians performing circumcisions receive proper training, clearly communicate potential complications, and ensure appropriate indications for adult patients to reduce malpractice risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Li
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Nizar Hakam
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Patrick Low
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Jason Lui
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Michael J Sadighian
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Behnam Nabavizadeh
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Nathan M Shaw
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Benjamin N Breyer
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
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Lynch NB, Xu L, Ambinder D, Malik RD. Medical malpractice in stress urinary incontinence management: A 30-year legal database review. Curr Urol 2021; 15:137-142. [PMID: 34552452 PMCID: PMC8451321 DOI: 10.1097/cu9.0000000000000033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this study is to investigate the most common reasons for and judicial outcomes of malpractice claims related to stress urinary incontinence (SUI) management. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the Westlaw database, a search was performed using the terms "medical malpractice" or "negligence" in combination with "stress incontinence" or "stress urinary incontinence" between January 1, 1990 and January 1, 2020. Extracted information included trial date, demographic information, defendant profession, procedure performed, procedure complications, alleged malpractice, trial outcome, and monetary award. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS The Westlaw search yielded 79 case results. Of the cases, 70.4% (n = 38/54) had a defense verdict, 22.2% (n = 12/54) had a plaintiff verdict, and 7.4% (n = 4/54) were settled. The most commonly implicated procedure was mid-urethral sling (63.2%, n = 36/57). Among the plaintiffs, 48.4% (n = 61/126) claimed negligence in preoperative care, 33.3% (n = 42/126) claimed negligence in surgical performance, and 18.3% (n = 23/126) claimed negligence in postoperative care. Lack of informed consent was the most common complaint related to negligence in preoperative care (42.6%, n = 26/61). The average indemnity payment was $1,253,644 for preoperative care negligence, $1,254,491 for surgical performance negligence, and $2,239,198 for postoperative care negligence. Of the defendants, 63.4% (n = 52) were gynecologists and 36.6% (n = 30) were urologists. CONCLUSIONS Negligent preoperative care, with a particular emphasis on failure to obtain informed consent, and negligent surgical performance are the leading causes of malpractice claims during SUI management. Mid-urethral sling was the most commonly litigated procedure. This study highlights key factors to consider in minimizing malpractice risk during SUI management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linhan Xu
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David Ambinder
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rena D. Malik
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Linder BJ, Cohen Rassier SL, Burnett TL, Gebhart JB. Universal Cystoscopy at the Time of Hysterectomy: Why Not? J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2021; 28:1450-1451. [PMID: 34144209 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmig.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian J Linder
- Departments of Urology (Dr. Linder), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Drs. Linder, Cohen Rassier, Burnett, and Gebhart), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Sarah L Cohen Rassier
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Drs. Linder, Cohen Rassier, Burnett, and Gebhart), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Tatnai L Burnett
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Drs. Linder, Cohen Rassier, Burnett, and Gebhart), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | - John B Gebhart
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Drs. Linder, Cohen Rassier, Burnett, and Gebhart), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
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Lane J, Bhome R, Somani B. Urological litigation trends in the UK National Health Service: an analysis of claims over 20 years. BJU Int 2021; 128:361-365. [PMID: 33773003 DOI: 10.1111/bju.15411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To look into the urology litigation trends and successful claims in the National Health Service (NHS) over the last 20 years. METHODS We requested data from NHS Resolutions to investigate current litigation numbers, costs and causes for claims. Data collected included the number of claims dating from 1996 to 2019, the total sum of damages paid out each year for urology and the causes for the claims dating from 2009 to 2019. Data from NHS Resolutions were analysed, stratified and categorized by the authors from this information, which was provided as two separate documents. RESULTS The total cost of damages between 1997 and 2017 was £74.5m (range: £241 325-£7.8m per year). While the number of successful claims was 1653 (range 7-168 per year), the total number of claims was 3341 (range 31-347 per year) and, over time, this has increased almost sevenfold. The cost of damages has increased roughly in line with the number of claims. Over the last 10 years, non-operative-related claims accounted for 984 claims, of which the largest subset was for 'the failure to diagnose and/or treat' (n = 639, 65%), with 88 (9%) successful consent-related claims. There were 226 intra-operative-related claims. Of these, wrong-site surgery, a never-event, accounted for eight claims and there were six successful claims for failing to supervise juniors. A total of 1129 claims were postoperative claims, with retained foreign body or instrument accounting for 71 (6%) of these. CONCLUSIONS The number and cost of litigation claims have increased year on year. There is a need for continual improvement in patient care, surgical training, counselling, informed consent and early management of complications. The evidence reviewed in this paper suggests that the best approach to this is the combination of rigid adherence to and re-enforcement of common surgical guidelines and implementation of the national 'Getting it right first time' initiative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Lane
- Department of Urology, University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Rahul Bhome
- Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Bhaskar Somani
- Department of Urology, University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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