Analysis of 7-year physician-reported adverse events in esophagogastroduodenoscopy

The number of negligence claims against physicians and health institutes is increasing and has become a serious financial problem. Reporting adverse events became a mandatory behavior for quality assurance purposes and for preparing potential claims.

To evaluate endoscopists' reports on adverse events in esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

We analyzed all the reports of gastroenterologists on EGD adverse events to the risk management authority, between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2006. Clinical and epidemiological details about the patients, procedures, and adverse events were computed, discussed, and evaluated.

Thirty-nine cases of EGD adverse events were reported. There were 15 cases (38.5%) of men, and the average age was 58.1±21.6 years. In this period, 314,803 EGDs were performed by the institutes concerned, and the number of adverse events was 0.5 to 2.3 for 10,000 EGDs per year. Perforation occurred in 1 of 31,480 procedures, bleeding in 1 of 39,350 procedures, and respiratory complications in 1 of 157,401 procedures. Trauma to teeth happened in 1:31,480 procedures.

This is the first study in Israel about physicians' reports of EGD adverse events. Reporting adverse events in EGD should be encouraged for improving patients' safety.