Study on Litigation-expertise of Sudden Pulmonary Embolism for Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia — Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

With the development of new concepts and technologies of laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment, inguinal hernia repair is increasingly and widely used in clinical practice, and accordingly, the corresponding complications of deep vein thrombosis have also attracted clinical attention. Deep-venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism have become one of the potential and very dangerous serious complications in patients with inguinal hernia. One case of sudden pulmonary embolism shortly after the laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair was reported in this paper, the patient has been trapped in a persistent plant survival state after rescue. The patient was a male, 67-year-old patient with up to 4 hours of operation, and no available clinical evidences about operative vascular injury have been found, however, this case have been triggered a civil lawsuit for medical damages and the filing of a judicial expertise. Combined with the disputes of this case and the results of the technical review, the legal related preoperative notification and informed consent, the requirements and functions of working system before operation, the preoperative examination and the related surgical risk-factors of pulmonary embolism are discussed. It is suggests that the preoperative discussion, preoperative examination and preoperative notification of laparoscopic inguinal hernia should be paid great attention to in clinical work, and form an institutionalized and normative workflow, which plays an important role in effectively controlling the operation time, reducing surgical complications and avoiding medical disputes.