Litigation in Anesthesia and Intensive Care Units: An Italian Retrospective Study

Anesthesiologists consider professional insurance and its medico-legal problems as a remarkable aspect of their job. “Associazione Anestesisti Rianimatori Ospedalieri Italiani—Emergenza ed Area Critica” (AAROI-EMAC) is the Italian association anesthesiologists intensivists that works to train subscribers on safety measures. This retrospective observational study an complaints database for anesthetic accidents result in injuries patients. The analyzed period runs from 1 January 2014 31 December 2016. A total 1309 related 873 claims were analyzed. Criminal comprised 805 (64.4%) total, civil 445 (35.6%). iatrogenic damage claimed included: death (58% cases); peripheral nerve (8%); spinal cord (5%); unspecified (7%); dental (4%); infections (3%); needing second surgical procedure (2%); other (13%). There statistical significance between size hospital number claims: small 40.1% cases, while against medium-sized large hospitals constituted 20.6% cases (χ2GL = 8 39.87, p 0.00). In Italy, are often involved litigation even when they not directly responsible injuries, most frequent ICU post-operative complications.