A 5 year review of factors instigating malpractice claims and likely to result in a payout. Possible lessons for the future. During 2002-2007 over 300,000 patients underwent knee arthroplasty (KA) in England and Wales, from which 204 cases of litigation were processed costing in excess of £5million. The complications associated with primary KA are well documented, however those instigating litigation in the UK are not known. This study assessed trends in litigation over the past 5 years identifying instigating factors and success rates to highlight areas for further improvement in patient information and surgical management. Data from the NHS Litigation Authority on claims following KA unrelated to trauma between 2002 and 2007 were obtained and analysed.Background
Methods
