Insurance claims after vascular surgery in Sweden

The study aimed to estimate the incidence and causes of insurance claims (IC) after vascular surgery (VS) reported to the Swedish Medical Injury Insurance (SMII); and to validate the registration of complications in the National Vascular Registry (Swedvasc).

The medical records of all IC in VS in Sweden reported to the SMII 2002-2007 were scrutinised and cross-referenced against Swedvasc.

There were 193 claims after VS: varicose-veins (66), lower extremity (45), aortic (31) or carotid artery (21), access (19) or other VS (11). Frequent causes of claims were peripheral nerve injury (76), wound infection (22) and cranial nerve injury (15). More than half of the patients suffered permanent injuries, three died. As many as 55 (28%) received economic compensation (an average of 45% of all ICs in SMII). The highest frequency of compensated claims (1:650 yearly procedures) was for carotid artery surgery. Of the procedures, 187 were elective. Compared with the Swedvasc, claudication was a more common indication (28% vs. 12%). Nearly one-fifth (18%) were incorrectly registered in Swedvasc.

The most common causes of insurance claims were peripheral nerve injuries and infections. Patients raising insurance claims after vascular surgery undergo acute procedures less frequently, and are correctly registered in the Swedvasc in 82% of cases.