K A Kern1. 1. Department of Surgery, Hartford Hospital, Conn, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze 44 cases of malpractice litigation involving laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cost, cause, and consequences of civil court actions. DESIGN: Survey of national jury verdict reporting services, covering 20 states during the 39-month interval from January 1, 1993, to April 30, 1996. The 44 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed during the 40-month interval from February 1, 1989, to June 30, 1992. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Types of injuries leading to litigation, morbidity and mortality from injuries, trial verdicts, and cost of liability payments. RESULTS: The 44 injuries composed 4 main categories of injuries: (1) bile duct, n = 27, 61%; (2) bowel, n = 7, 16%; (3) major vascular, n = 4, 9%; and (4) other, n = 6, 14%. Bowel injuries involved trocar or cautery injury; vascular injuries all involved trocars. There were 7 deaths (16%) overall from either septic peritonitis resulting from bowel injury (4 patients [57%]) or bile peritonitis involving spills or cystic duct leaks (3 patients [43%]). No deaths resulted from injury to main bile ducts. Of the 44 cases, 21 (48%) settled out of court (mean payment, $469,711). Of the remaining 23 cases proceeding to trial, 19 (83%) were defended successfully while 4 (17%) concluded with plaintiff jury verdicts (mean payment, $188,772). CONCLUSIONS: Frequent settlements of cases involving laparoscopic cholecystectomy injuries that are litigated have resulted in a selection of cases of increased defensibility at trial. The high mortality rate from bowel injuries is a new medicolegal finding in laparoscopic cholecystectomies, as expensive to settle (mean payment, $438,000) as laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile duct injury (mean payment, $507,000).
OBJECTIVE: To analyze 44 cases of malpractice litigation involving laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cost, cause, and consequences of civil court actions. DESIGN: Survey of national jury verdict reporting services, covering 20 states during the 39-month interval from January 1, 1993, to April 30, 1996. The 44 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed during the 40-month interval from February 1, 1989, to June 30, 1992. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Types of injuries leading to litigation, morbidity and mortality from injuries, trial verdicts, and cost of liability payments. RESULTS: The 44 injuries composed 4 main categories of injuries: (1) bile duct, n = 27, 61%; (2) bowel, n = 7, 16%; (3) major vascular, n = 4, 9%; and (4) other, n = 6, 14%. Bowel injuries involved trocar or cautery injury; vascular injuries all involved trocars. There were 7 deaths (16%) overall from either septic peritonitis resulting from bowel injury (4 patients [57%]) or bile peritonitis involving spills or cystic duct leaks (3 patients [43%]). No deaths resulted from injury to main bile ducts. Of the 44 cases, 21 (48%) settled out of court (mean payment, $469,711). Of the remaining 23 cases proceeding to trial, 19 (83%) were defended successfully while 4 (17%) concluded with plaintiff jury verdicts (mean payment, $188,772). CONCLUSIONS: Frequent settlements of cases involving laparoscopic cholecystectomy injuries that are litigated have resulted in a selection of cases of increased defensibility at trial. The high mortality rate from bowel injuries is a new medicolegal finding in laparoscopic cholecystectomies, as expensive to settle (mean payment, $438,000) as laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile duct injury (mean payment, $507,000).
Authors: Genevieve B Melton; Keith D Lillemoe; John L Cameron; Patricia A Sauter; JoAnn Coleman; Charles J Yeo Journal: Ann Surg Date: 2002-06 Impact factor: 12.969
Authors: M T P R Perera; M A Silva; A J Shah; R Hardstaff; S R Bramhall; J Issac; J A C Buckels; D F Mirza Journal: World J Surg Date: 2010-11 Impact factor: 3.352