Analysis of claims for wrong-site surgery (1986-2017)

Abstract

Background. Wrong site surgery (WSS) is a potentially preventable adverse event in healthcare.

Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of the 9,129 claims managed by the Professional Liability Service of the Catalonian’s Colleges of Physicians from 1986 to 2017.

Results. We identified 57 claims for WSS (1.78 per year), with an increase in the final ten years (0.92 to 3.83). One patient identification error corresponded to the anesthetic procedure; surgery involving fingers (17.5%), backbone (15.8%), knee (12.3%) and teeth (12.3%) was predominant. Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology was the specialty most involved (54.4%), being tooth extraction, vertebral disc prolapsed surgery and finger bone resection the most frequent procedures with seven cases each (12.3%). Claims followed criminal (16 cases, 28.1%) or civil proceedings (9 cases, 15.8%), with two guilty verdicts on a civil basis. The frequency of claims leading to compensation was 59.6%, averaged 9,210.23 euros per claim, resolved through extrajudicial (65.6%) or judicial channels (50.0%).

Conclusion. WSS events cannot be overlooked and shows high incidence of claims liability rates, which highlights the need to increase efforts to ensure patient safety in this area.