title: Medical malpractice and the thyroid gland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A medical malpractice litigation "crisis" exists in this country. Analyzing litigation trends through verdict summaries may help understand causes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Jury verdict reviews from 1987-2000 were obtained from a computerized database. Reviews compile data on defendants, plaintiffs, allegations of wrongdoing, and verdict summaries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty suits from nine states occurred. Plaintiffs were women in 80% of the cases, with a median age of 41. Fifty percent of patients (15 of 30) had a bad outcome, (9 of 30 dead, 4 of 30 with neurologic deficits, 1 blind, and 1 alive with cancer). Thirty percent alleged surgical complications, mostly recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and 75% of cancer patients alleged a delay, either through falsely negative biopsies or no biopsy taken. Respiratory events occurred in 43% and frequently resulted in large awards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The liberal use of fine-needle aspiration and documentation of surgical risks may help reduce litigation. Complications and bad outcomes do not indicate negligence. Analysis may contribute to risk management strategies or litigation reform.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Methodist Cancer Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-1225, USA. dlydiatt@unmc.edu
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Lydiatt
mesh_terms: D017677:Age Distribution; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States