Assessment of some medical malpractice cases during surgical procedures in Yemen

ABSTRACT

This research aims to study some cases of medical malpractice and provides guidance for medical persons to minimize or even avoid medical malpractice among Yemenis. This first study in Yemen was done on hundred cases of medical malpractice during surgery that were collected randomly through the last ten years [1996-2005] from many places in Yemen. All cases were aging from 3 to 70 years old. The gender of patient was 54 males and 46 females. This study showed highly significant increase of number of cases between ages 21- 30, 41- 50 and 51-60 in both sexes as compared to other groups of age, while ages 11-20 and 31-40 showed significant increase in number of malpractice cases versus age 61-70 years. No significant difference between females and males among the studied cases. There was very highly statistical significant increase of number of malpractices that done by one physician when compared to that done by two or three physicians. There was very highly significant increase in number of malpractice cases in public hospital versus other hospitals and in private hospitals versus academic hospitals. Positive cases of medical malpractice were very highly significantly decreased as compared to negative one in public and private hospitals and no significant difference between positive and negative cases in academic hospitals. There was very highly significant increase in number of malpractice cases among specialists as compare to university staff and consultant. There was no statistical significant difference between university staff and consultants. There was also very highly significant increase in number of negative cases among university staff and specialists, but significant increase of negative cases as compared to positive cases was seen among consultants. This study proved that the general surgery showed very highly significant increase in number of malpractice cases versus other groups. Urology showed significant increase in number of malpractice cases versus internal medicine and neurosurgery. It was demonstrated very highly significant increase in number of malpractice cases during intra-operative and post-operative stages versus other stages. Appendicectomy and cholecystectomy showed very highly significant increase in number of malpractice cases versus other types of operations. There was no statistical significant difference between the distribution of criminal and civil cases among the studied cases. A statistical significant difference was shown between the final outcome in number of deaths and complete recovery when compared with cases of permanent deformity