Medical Malpractice Litigation Associated With Anesthesia: Result From the Lexis China Claims Database 2013 to 2022.

Purpose: This study conducted an analysis of medical malpractice litigation associated with anesthesia from 2013 to 2022, aiming to evaluate incidents of anesthesia-related safety concerns among surgical patients. The use of data derived from medical malpractice claims provided valuable insights into potential risks associated with anesthesia, contributing to the mitigation of medical malpractice and the enhancement of patient safety.

Design: A retrospective study.

Methods: The characteristics of anesthesia-related medical malpractice litigation were analyzed using Lexis China database, including patient demographics, timing of the events, the surgical procedure, anesthesia methods, and anesthetic used, as well as case settlement information, verdict information, and monetary award data.

Findings: Our analysis revealed a total of 183 instances where injury claims could be attributed to anesthesia. The median age of the participants was 26 years, with a predominant proportion of females (116/183, 63.39%). Most of the complaints were from secondary (74/183, 40.44%) and tertiary (85/183, 46.45%) hospitals. General anesthesia (107/183, 58.47%) accounted for the majority of claims, with the highest rates of cardiorespiratory failure or arrest (20/24, 83.33%) or hypoxic brain damage (38/58, 65.52%), which were the most prevalent causes of patient death or disability, respectively. The greatest potential for medical malpractice lawsuits in surgical procedures was found to be associated with cesarean sections, with a rate of 18.03% (33 out of 183 cases). Propofol (n = 6) and lidocaine (n = 4) were the anesthetics with the highest number of lawsuits.

Conclusions: Despite the decreasing trend in medical malpractice litigation related to anesthesia over time, several notable hazards have been identified. These hazards included cardiorespiratory failure or arrest or hypoxic brain damage resulting from general anesthesia, a higher risk of cesarean section, the hazards associated with anesthesia-administered non-operating room, and the occurrence of severe adverse outcomes due to medication.