title: [Infections associated with percutaneous arterial closure devices: medico-legal issues].
abstract: Percutaneous suture closure devices have reduced the time needed for manual compression and hospital stays, but several meta-analysis emphasized a higher risk of vascular damages compared to manual compression. Two cases of infections on percutaneous suture closure devices were analyzed; which had medico-legal issues. Beyond the medical point of view, the patient's complaints, the way lawyers and medical experts have examined the cases were analyzed and resulted in physicians and hospitals being sentenced. Rather than stigmatizing those devices, we just want to invite cardiologists not to underestimate this serious risk. Before using those devices, physicians should balance the risk-benefit ratio, follow prevention guidelines, and most of all, be aware of any single signs of emerging infection to detect and treat them early, and thus reduce the severity of infections thanks to a targeted antibiotic treatment adapted to the antibiogram and an active role of vascular surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Comité médical du Sou Médical/MACSF, 10, cours du Triangle-de-l'Arche, 92191 La Défense, France; Service de cardiologie interventionnelle (ICVGVM), hôpital La Roseraie/groupe Villa Maria, 120, avenue de la République, 93300 Aubervilliers, France. Electronic address: dr.gaultier@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gaultier
authors.affiliation: Comité médical du Sou Médical/MACSF, 10, cours du Triangle-de-l'Arche, 92191 La Défense, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Houselstein
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000628:therapy; D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Infection; Liability; Percutaneous suture closure device; Responsabilité; Système de fermeture percutanée