[Injuries in anaesthesia. Results of the Hannover arbitration procedure 2001-2005]

The Schlichtungsstelle in Hannover (expert panel for arbitration), northern Germany, was founded in 1976 to settle disputes between patients and doctors. Furthermore, publications regarding the decisions of the Schlichtungsstelle serve as an important medium to prevent malpractice by increasing doctors' awareness of critical processes in their field. Between 2001 and 2005 the Schlichtungsstelle decided on 435 malpractice claims in anaesthesia. An accumulation of injuries was observed in anaesthetic procedures with respect to the airways (23.9%), injuries related to regional anaesthesia (18.2%), vasopuncture (13.1%) and positioning of the patients (9.9%). In 21.8%, the Schlichtungsstelle advised to seek a resolution without going to court by paying financial compensation in favour of the patient. In these cases the Schlichtungsstelle's evaluation had come to the conclusion that malpractice was the cause of the patient's injury. We would like to mention that 21 cases of intraoperative awareness were included in the claims, of which 52.4% (average 21.8%) were evaluated to be the result of malpractice and thus financial compensation was advised. The appropriate care for the patient, required from every doctor, calls the anaesthesiologists to avoid all possible malpractices, thus reducing patients' injury due to such malpractices to a minimum. But even injuries not caused by malpractice need to be examined closely and improvement should be sought.