Frequency of Litigations from plastic surgeon physician's refering to Fars provience forensic medicine organization between 2013 and 2020

Authors
Athar Rasekhjahromi 1
Ali Reza Doroudch 2
Gholamreza Motazedian 3
Fatemeh Ahmadi 4
Navid Kalani 5
Mojtaba Ghaedi 6
1 Department of Obstetrician and Gynecology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
2 MD, Iranian legal Medicine Research Center, legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran
3 Assistant Professor of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
4 Student Research Committee, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
5 Clinical Research Development Unit, Peymanieh Hospital, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
6 Assistant Professor of Plastic Surgery, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran
10.22034/pjms.2022.700497
Abstract
Introduction: Today, increasing people's efforts for beauty and rejuvenation has led to the promotion of plastic surgery, which has provided the basis for increasing the likelihood of error and increasing patients' dissatisfaction with the results. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the frequency of complaints from plastic surgeons referring to the Forensic Medicine Organization of Fars Province between 2013 and 2020.
Material and Methods: The present study was a descriptive study based on re-analysis of data. Examining the existing cases in the forensic medicine of Fars province, a total of 132 cases referred to this organization were in the Plastic Surgery Commission, of which 58 were related to complaints from plastic surgeons. Data were collected using a checklist and the results were analyzed using SPSS software version 21 and descriptive statistics tests.
Results: In the review of 58 cases, the results showed that 49 of the complainants (84.5%) were female and 9 (15.5%) were male. The most common type of medical center was a private hospital with 28 cases (48.3%), followed by a public hospital with 22 cases (37.9%) and a private office with 6 cases (10.3%). Out of 58 suspects, 24 (41.4%) were acquitted and 34 (58.6%) were convicted of negligence, and 55 (94.8%) were male and 3 (5.2%) were female. The most common cause of negligence was incompetence, which included 16 cases (66.6%) followed by carelessness with 20.8% and compound negligence (8.3%); Also, the most common cause of complaints was cosmetic defects with 58.6%.
Conclusion: In general, this study showed that the most common reason for complaining to plastic surgeons is cosmetic defects and dissatisfaction with the results of the operation, and this requires plastic surgeons to better understand the results of the operation for the patient; Also, the most common cause of incompetence was the lack of skills, which indicates the importance of skills acquisition by surgeons.

Highlights

Durant CB, Hupp JR. Managing Medicolegal IssuesSurrounding Esthetic Facial Surgery. Compl Maxill

Cosmet Surg. 2018; 105-21.2. Lagoo J, Berry WR, Miller K, Neal BJ, Sato LLillemoe KD, et al. Multisource Evaluation ofSurgeon Behavior is Associated with MalpracticeClaims. Annals of surg. 2019; 270(1):84-903. Sarmiento S, Siotos C, Cheah M, Lee SB, Rosson GD.

Malpractice Litigation in Plastic Surgery: Can WeIdentify Patterns? Aesthet Surg J. 2020; 40(6): 394-

401.4. Nahai F. Plastic Surgeons Are Happiest at Work.Aesthet Surg J. 2019;39(5):581-835. Nagarkar P. Personal Safety of the Plastic Surgeon:Keeping Yourself Healthy While You Work. Plast

Reconstr Surg. 2018;142(1):76-8.6. Higgins S, Wysong A. Cosmetic surgery and body

dysmorphic disorder–An update. Int J WomensDermatol. 2018;4(1):43-8.7. De Brauwer F, Bertolus C, Goudot P, Chaine ACauses for litigation and risk management in facial

surgery: A review of 136 cases. J Stomatol OralMaxillofac Surg. 2019;120(3):211-15.8. Snapp WK, Kraft D, Jehle CC, Hartnett D, CrozierJW, Schmidt S. Medical Malpractice Claims After

Nonsurgical Cosmetic Procedures. Plast ReconstrSurg Glob Open.2019; 7(8S-1):140-41.

  1. Hagopian CO, Ades TB, Hagopian TM, WolfswinkelEM, Stevens WG. Attitudes,Practices of AestheticPlastic Surgeons Regarding Informed Consent.Aesthet Surg J. 2020 Mar 23;40(4):437-47.
  2. Lunceford B. Surgeon, Media, Society, PatientFour Factors in Determining the Ethics of CosmeticSurgery. In The Changing Scope of Techno ethics inContemporary Society. 2018; 197-225.
  3. Khara, A., Descriptive Analysis of MedicalMalpractice Complaints from General Surgeons in

Tehran 2012–2013; a Short Report. J Police Med.2016;5(1): 1-6. (Persian)12. Bordonaba-Leiva S, Gómez-Durán EL, Balibrea JM,Benet-Travé J, Martin-Fumadó C, Bescos Atin C, et

  1. Twenty four years of oral and maxillofacial surgerymalpractice claims in Spain: patient safety lessons tolearn. Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019 Jun;23(2):187-9213. Mirakbari SM, Fathi M, Taghadosinejad F, Atri A.Malpractice Claims in Nasal Surgeries Referred to

Forensic Medicine Service Tehran, Iran From 1996through 2002: A preliminary study. Ir J Forencis Med.2003; 9(3): 136–138. (Persian)14. Kaboodkhani R, Zarenezhad M, Ansari M

Gholamzadeh S, Doroudchi A, Kalani N. Seven year'ssurvey study of complaints of facial cosmetic surgeryreferred to Shiraz Forensic administration since 2006to 2013. Pars J Med Sci. 2019; 17 (4):8-16. (Persian)15. Moin A, Ostad Ali Makhmalbaf M, Davati A

Study of medical malpractice complaints in the fieldof dermatology and cosmetic, in the coroner’s officeof Forensic Medicine, province of Tehran, during2002 to 2010. J Dramato Cosmet. 2011; 2 (1) :17-29.(Persian)16. Raggio BS, Harris WC, Winters RD, Graham IIIHD. Analysis of factors associated with malpracticelitigation in rhinoplasty. Am J Cosm Surg. 2019Sep;36(3):151-7

  1. Mehta S, Farhadi J, Atrey A. A review of litigationin plastic surgery in England. Lessons learned. J PlastRec Aesthet Surg. 2010;63(10):1747-818. Dyer C. Clinical negligence claims against plastic

surgeons rise significantly. BMJ. 2012; 344: 298

Keywords
Plastic surgery
Forensic medicine
Medical malpractice
Litigation

  1. -

    Durant CB, Hupp JR. Managing Medicolegal IssuesSurrounding Esthetic Facial Surgery. Compl Maxill

    Cosmet Surg. 2018; 105-21.2. Lagoo J, Berry WR, Miller K, Neal BJ, Sato LLillemoe KD, et al. Multisource Evaluation ofSurgeon Behavior is Associated with MalpracticeClaims. Annals of surg. 2019; 270(1):84-903. Sarmiento S, Siotos C, Cheah M, Lee SB, Rosson GD.

    Malpractice Litigation in Plastic Surgery: Can WeIdentify Patterns? Aesthet Surg J. 2020; 40(6): 394-

    401.4. Nahai F. Plastic Surgeons Are Happiest at Work.Aesthet Surg J. 2019;39(5):581-835. Nagarkar P. Personal Safety of the Plastic Surgeon:Keeping Yourself Healthy While You Work. Plast

    Reconstr Surg. 2018;142(1):76-8.6. Higgins S, Wysong A. Cosmetic surgery and body

    dysmorphic disorder–An update. Int J WomensDermatol. 2018;4(1):43-8.7. De Brauwer F, Bertolus C, Goudot P, Chaine ACauses for litigation and risk management in facial

    surgery: A review of 136 cases. J Stomatol OralMaxillofac Surg. 2019;120(3):211-15.8. Snapp WK, Kraft D, Jehle CC, Hartnett D, CrozierJW, Schmidt S. Medical Malpractice Claims After

    Nonsurgical Cosmetic Procedures. Plast ReconstrSurg Glob Open.2019; 7(8S-1):140-41.

    1. Hagopian CO, Ades TB, Hagopian TM, WolfswinkelEM, Stevens WG. Attitudes,Practices of AestheticPlastic Surgeons Regarding Informed Consent.Aesthet Surg J. 2020 Mar 23;40(4):437-47.
    2. Lunceford B. Surgeon, Media, Society, PatientFour Factors in Determining the Ethics of CosmeticSurgery. In The Changing Scope of Techno ethics inContemporary Society. 2018; 197-225.
    3. Khara, A., Descriptive Analysis of MedicalMalpractice Complaints from General Surgeons in

    Tehran 2012–2013; a Short Report. J Police Med.2016;5(1): 1-6. (Persian)12. Bordonaba-Leiva S, Gómez-Durán EL, Balibrea JM,Benet-Travé J, Martin-Fumadó C, Bescos Atin C, et

    1. Twenty four years of oral and maxillofacial surgerymalpractice claims in Spain: patient safety lessons tolearn. Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019 Jun;23(2):187-9213. Mirakbari SM, Fathi M, Taghadosinejad F, Atri A.Malpractice Claims in Nasal Surgeries Referred to

    Forensic Medicine Service Tehran, Iran From 1996through 2002: A preliminary study. Ir J Forencis Med.2003; 9(3): 136–138. (Persian)14. Kaboodkhani R, Zarenezhad M, Ansari M

    Gholamzadeh S, Doroudchi A, Kalani N. Seven year'ssurvey study of complaints of facial cosmetic surgeryreferred to Shiraz Forensic administration since 2006to 2013. Pars J Med Sci. 2019; 17 (4):8-16. (Persian)15. Moin A, Ostad Ali Makhmalbaf M, Davati A

    Study of medical malpractice complaints in the fieldof dermatology and cosmetic, in the coroner’s officeof Forensic Medicine, province of Tehran, during2002 to 2010. J Dramato Cosmet. 2011; 2 (1) :17-29.(Persian)16. Raggio BS, Harris WC, Winters RD, Graham IIIHD. Analysis of factors associated with malpracticelitigation in rhinoplasty. Am J Cosm Surg. 2019Sep;36(3):151-7

    1. Mehta S, Farhadi J, Atrey A. A review of litigationin plastic surgery in England. Lessons learned. J PlastRec Aesthet Surg. 2010;63(10):1747-818. Dyer C. Clinical negligence claims against plastic

    surgeons rise significantly. BMJ. 2012; 344: 298