The Role of the Anaesthesiologist in Perioperative Deaths in Which the Doctor is Defendant [Hekimlerin Davali Olduǧu Perioperatif Ölümlerde Anestezi Hekiminin Yeri]

Abstract

The death rate related to anaesthesia alone quite low among perioperative deaths that includes the peroperative period and the first postoperative day. The aim of this study is to assess the perioperative deaths in which the doctor is defendant and the role of the anaesthesiologist in comparison with the other surgeons in Turkey. The reports of the Forensic Medicine Foundation First Specialization Board in 2000 examined the deaths related to malpractice were examined retrospectively and the cases who were died perioperatively were included in this study. This cases were evaluated with respect to socioeconomic features, the type of the operation, urgency or electivity, the cause of death, malpractice existence, which doctor is guilty and the death time after operation. It was directly questioned the anaesthesiologist's fault for three cases. Three cases of the total 42 cases that were evaluated for the perioperative death were decided to malpractice for anaesthesiologists. It was concluded that the death rate during the perioperative period related to anaesthesiologist's fault in Turkey are also rather low as compared to the other countries.