Analysis of autopsy and clinical findings on medical malpractice cases after heart operation / 法医学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#The purpose of this study was to use autopsy to explore cause of death and to identify medical errors after cardiac surgery.@*METHODS@#Clinical and autopsy findings in 6 cases were analyzed with respect to the clinical diagnosis, operation types, death time and features, and autopsy findings, medico-legal disputes and related medical errors.@*RESULTS@#There were total 6 patients. The procedures involve cardiac valve replacement (4), coronary artery bypass (1), and congenital aortic transposition repair (1). Three patients had sudden death one week after surgery and 3 from congestive heart failure. The findings include myocardial infarction (2), massive myocardial injury (1), endocarditis (2), and multi-organ failure (1). The families in all six cases suspected malpractice. The major concerns were operation indication and timing, selection of operation equipment, operative mishandling, inadequate post-operative care and timely therapeutic invention, inadequate informed consent regarding the severity of the disease itself, the risks of heart surgery, and its prognosis after the procedures.@*CONCLUSION@#Autopsy can be used to determine the cause of death, to assess the quality of the operation and post operation management, and to help to resolve malpractice disputes