[Judicial and contentious aspects of anesthesia]

The practice of anaesthesia is surrounded by the same legal texts as in other medical fields and by a decree, which is specific to it. This decree notably prescribes a preliminary consultation by an anaesthetist, in a lapse of time allowing change to eventually the planned strategy or to optimise preoperative care. It is therefore important that all medical data useful to the patient assessment should be available at this time. Since the application of professional standards, claims related to the anaesthetic practice have decreased in the United States, especially because of the reduction in perioperative hypoxic injuries. It should be noted that the development of such standards aims first at improving patient's care. Claims reduction could be consider as a secondary consequence. Other means of improving our practice deserve to be developed, such as national confidential surveys.