The paper discusses the issue of justifiability and practical value of deciding between a medical complication and a medical error, the subject which has recently been frequently debated among doctors, at court trials and in media. The authors clearly define the meaning of the terms of medical complication and medical error, pointing out that they belong to an entirely different class of terms ...

During an 18-year period, 501 cases of thoracic complications of amebic abscess of the liver were studied; 175 had inflammatory reactions of thoracic structures (165 with pleural effusions and pneumonitis, ten with pericardifis) and 326 ruptured through the diaphragm (175 into the airways, 106 into the pleural cavity, 5 into the pericardium, 39 into the airways and pleura, and 1 into the pleura...

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has become an effective alternative treatment strategy for patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although TACE is relatively safe, pulmonary lipiodol embolism is a rare and potentially fatal complication which is often not anticipated by physicians. About 14 patients with pulmonary lipiodol embolism progressing to respiratory di...

Paraplegia is a rare complication of surgery for acute type A aortic dissection. We report a case of delayed postoperative paraplegia associated with necrosis of the thoracic vertebral bodies and soft tissue. The pathogenesis of delayed postoperative paraplegia is unknown, but our case report would strongly suggest ischemia of the descending thoracic intercostal arteries as the causative mechan...

PURPOSE Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a serious iatrogenic complication of ovulation induction. It is a potentially lethal condition, with severe complications which include ovarian enlargement, and massive fluid redistribution from the vascular system into free spaces resulting in ascites, pleural effusion, electrolyte imbalance, hemoconcentration, hypovolemia, oliguria, and adul...

Postoperative pulmonary complications contribute significantly to morbidity and morality in surgical patients. Pulmonary complications occur more frequently than cardiac complications. The complication rates for upper abdominal and thoracic surgery are the highest. A better understanding of the risk factors associated with postoperative pulmonary complications is essential to develop strategies...

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) following cardiac surgery represents a common, potentially morbid, and often misunderstood complication. Patients who develop POAF incur an increased cost of care, a prolonged hospital stay, and are at a higher risk for numerous adverse outcomes, including renal and respiratory failure, cardiac arrest, stroke, and death. The etiology of POAF is multifact...

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To analyze the frequency, type, and correlates of postoperative complications for surgical patients with cancer to illustrate practical application of the failure to rescue concept in oncology nursing practice. DESIGN Secondary analysis of inpatient claims. SETTING Data obtained from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council were linked with data from the Penn...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to describe the results of a 1-year patient follow-up after anterior vaginal wall darn, a novel technique for the repair of anterior vaginal wall prolapse. METHODS Fifty-five patients with anterior vaginal wall prolapse underwent anterior vaginal wall darn. The anterior vaginal wall was detached using sharp and blunt dissection via an incision beginning 1 ...

Percutaneous epidural neuroplasty may lead to complications such as hematoma, infection, epidural abscess, meningitis, hypotension, respiratory depression, urinary and fecal dysfunction, sexual dysfunction and paresthesia. Other technical complications may include shearing or tearing, misplacement, blockage and migration of the catheter. We report a case of a 41-year-old female patient, who und...