title: [Selected medical closed claims in the field of regional anaesthesia].
abstract: Legal malpractice cases in regional anaesthesia comprise a significant number of all cases before the expert commissions and arbitration boards of the state medical associations. One reason for this is the increasing use of neuraxial and peripheral regional blocks in orthopaedics and traumatology. Only in about one fourth of the reviewed cases could either a causal relationship between substandard performance and patient injury or an inadequate obtaining of informed consent be established. In the great majority of cases patients' claims were unfounded, since the patients' injuries were adjudged to be unavoidable and adequate consent had been abtained prior to performance of the blocks.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schaffartzik
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neu
mesh_terms: D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000592:standards*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008318:Malpractice; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*