Analysis of forensic medical opinions issued in criminal cases of alleged medical error in obstetrics at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, in 2010–2016

Aim of the study
Analysis of forensic medical opinions in the field of obstetrics prepared at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, in 2010–2016, in order to evaluate changes in the number of filed cases involving an alleged medical error over the years, and determine the most common situations where medical errors are suspected by patients, and the most prevalent types of medical errors in obstetrics.

Material and methods
The opinions were divided into two groups. In the first group, the medical management was appropriate, while in the second group medical errors were identified. The medical errors were categorised as diagnostic/therapeutic, technical, and organisational. The effects of medical errors were classified as death, impairment to health, exposure to death, and exposure to impairment to health, by considering them separately for post-natal women, and for foetuses and neonates (during the first days of life).

Results
A total of 73 forensic medical opinions were analysed. In 25 cases, a medical error was identified. The most common situations in which a medical error was committed, and in which the suspicion of medical error proved to be unfounded, were listed. Overall, there were 17 diagnostic/therapeutic errors, 7 organisational errors, and 4 technical errors. In cases where a medical error was identified, there were 15 deaths, and in cases without a medical error – 31 deaths.

Conclusions
It was found that 66% of the analysed forensic medical opinions involved no medical errors. In most of these cases, a therapeutic failure occurred, including perinatal haemorrhage, tight wrapping of the umbilical cord around the foetal neck (nuchal cord), premature birth, and septic complications. A few cases involved uncooperative patients. The most prevalent medical error was failure to perform or delaying a caesarean section when it was needed (because of emergency or urgent indications). The second most common medical error was related to incorrect CTG interpretation.