Archiwum medycyny sa̧dowej i kryminologii
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2007
[Surgical errors in archives of the forensic medicine department, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, and in Archives of the District Chamber of Physicians in Szczecin].
The aim of this paper was to study medico-legal opinions passed by experts of the Forensic Medicine Department in Szczecin cases involving suspected surgical malpractice in the years 2001-2005. Among 97 opinions originating from the West Pomeranian and other provinces, malpractice was recognized in 30 cases. In the majority of instances, surgical errors consisted in inobservance of appropriate care in perioperative management. ⋯ Of this number, 33 complaints were carried over from the previous term Malpractice was confirmed in 34 instances and these cases were referred to the Board of Professional Medical Conduct. In 15 complains, since proceedings were in progress in various legal agencies, the cases were suspended until resolution in the prosecuting office or in court. Four cases analyzed by the District Board for Professional Medical Conduct involved surgical errors.
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2007
[On the causes of medical errors in life-threatening conditions--a medico-legal assessment based on the material of the chair and Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, collected between 2000 and the end of June, 2006].
The authors analyzed the medico-legal opinions on medical management issued by the Chair and Department of Forensic Medicine Katowice between 2000 and the end of June 2006. Among 101 cases, in which medical errors were recognized, in 82 instances inappropriate medical management was associated with direct life-threatening conditions, such as acute cardiac syndrome, cerebrocranial injuries, cerebral an aortic aneurysms, pulmonary embolisms, acute abdominal diseases, such as perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers, appendicitis, post-traumatic rupture of the spleen, and acute metabolic disorders. The majority of errors was diagnostic in character and involved the staff of emergency services, admission rooms and detoxification centers. The investigators also drew attention to factors affecting the degree of risk of medical error commission and the most common causes of inappropriate medical in life-threatening conditions.
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2007
[Opinionating difficulties in cases concerning the use of psychoactive agents by traffic participants].
In recent years, there has been observed an increasing number of traffic participants being under the influence of drugs or other than alcohol agents that affect the central nervous system. In the period from 1997 until June 2006, 435 blood samples collected from traffic participants suspected of having ingested psychoactive agents were examined in the Forensic Medicine Department, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice. Eighty-five blood samples were positive.
-
Arch Med Sadowej Kryminol · Apr 2007
[Limitations in medico-legal appraisal of sobriety or alcohol intoxication in drivers and the use of retrospective calculation. Practical comments based on an analysis of the files investigated in the chair of forensic medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, in the years 2000-2004].
In case of a driver who was involved in and survived a traffic accident, the analysis of expired air or blond sampling for alcohol determination is usually done within a shorter or longer time interval after the event. Thus, that the obtained analytical results are to be referred to the time when the examination or sampling was done, whereas the courts are interested in the driver's sobriety of alcohol intoxication at the critical moment, i.e. at the moment of the accident. Knowledge of alcohol toxicology allows for performing some simplified calculations to determine estimated blood alcohol concentration levels similar to those at the critical moment by using the so-called retrospective analysis. The authors performed a statistical analysis of the court files investigated at the Chair of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, in the years 2000-2004, especially focusing on difficulties encountered in cases of alcohol intoxication in perpetrators of traffic collisions.