[A review of malpractice claims concerning orthopedic applications submitted to the Council of Forensic Medicine].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to review malpractice claims concerning orthopedic applications that were sent to the Council of Forensic Medicine by public prosecutors and law courts.

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on 174 malpractice claim files related with orthopedic applications, which had been examined and concluded by the Third Specialized Board of the Council of Forensic Medicine between January 2004 and December 2007.

RESULTS: Of 174 files, 129 files were concerned with trauma and 45 files were concerned with orthopedic causes. The types of institutions involved were 82 state hospitals, 56 private hospitals, 17 training and research hospitals, 18 university hospitals, and one military hospital. Orthopedic surgeons were found liable for failure in 61 cases (51 trauma, 10 orthopedic cases). Those who were considered blameworthy were working for 26 private hospitals, 24 state hospitals, seven training and research hospitals, and two university hospitals with the following titles: professor (n=2), chief of clinic (n=1), associate professor (n=2), specialist (n=54), resident (n=3), and nurse (n=1).

CONCLUSION: In order to minimize malpractice claims, physicians should steadily improve professional knowledge and skills, give special attention to documenting all information about the patients and applications, and establish a good and intimate physician-patient relationship.