The Risk Management Newsletter for Anesthesia Practices

July 2025

July 2024

• Case Studies

• Risk Management Strategies to Consider When Performing Elective Ophthalmic Regional Blocks

• Treatment Strategies for Eye Procedure Complications

October 2023

• Defending Wrongful Death Lawsuits in the Courtroom
• Risk Management Considerations, Strategies, and Resources for Defending Wrongful Death Lawsuits

April 2023

• Response to the Criminal Conviction of a Health Care Professional in 2022 for Medical Error and Failure to Monitor

October 2022

• Combatting Prolific Plaintiffs’ Expert Testimony Against PPM’s Insureds
• “Never Events” Not Always Cases of Liability

April 2022

• Case Studies & Analyses
• Risk Management Strategies and Considerations for Patients Who Refuse Medical Treatment

November 2021

• Case Studies
• Risk Management Considerations, Strategies, and Resources to Prevent Wrong-Site Nerve Blocks
• Underwriter’s Spotlight - Changing Places, Practices, Names, Email Addresses, etc.? Let Us Know

April 2021

• Effective Preoperative Evaluation and Communication Critical to Prevent Aspiration
• Top 5 Adverse Anesthesia Events Reported to PPM in 2020
• Risk Management Analyses and Considerations

August 2020

• Effective Preoperative Evaluation and Communication Critical to Prevent Aspiration
• Case Studies
• Risk Management Analyses and Strategies

August 2019

• Cardiopulmonary Sentinel Events During ERCP: Oversedation or Air Embolism?
• PPM Policyholder’s Perseverance Prevails After Sixteen Years of Litigation
• Underwriter’s Spotlight – Treating Yourself, Family or Friends? Just Say No

March 2019

• Identifying Patient Risk Factors
• Avoiding Iatrogenic Causes of Dental Injury
• Preanesthesia Evaluation and Documentation
• Informed Consent
• After a Dental Injury Occurs
• Options for Handling Dental Claims
• Case Studies and Risk Management Analysis

August 2018

• Preventing Retained Foreign Object Anesthesia Claims
• Risk Management Strategies to Prevent Retained Guidewires
• Other Retained Foreign Object Claims

March 2018

• Defending Patient Falls Litigation
• PPM Secures 44th Consecutive Upper Extremity Nerve Damage Verdict
• Underwriter’s Spotlight - PPM Cyber Liability Insurance Coverage Limits Increased

May 2017

• Defending Medication Errors Litigation
• APSF Medication Safety Strategies

August 2016

• No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Iowa Anesthesiologist Defends Care through Two Trials
• Cauda Equina Syndrome: Georgia Defense Verdict
• Brain Damage: Colorado Defense Verdict
• Surveillance Evidence Helps Secure Unanimous Defense Verdict
• PPM Earns “A” Rating from A.M. Best

January 2016

• Risk Management Tips for Preventing Injury During Endoscopy with Deep Sedation
• Underwriter’s Spotlight -- The Dark Side of the Moon: Moonlighting may increase anesthesia practice group’s liability exposure
  
  

October 2015

• Risk Management Tips for Preventing Injury from Calibration Tube Placement
• Underwriter’s Spotlight: Ethical and legal guidelines for treatment of non-patients or self-treatment

December 2014

• PPM Cyber Liability (eMD™) Insurance
• PPM’s Risk Management Seminars Certified for CME
• Underwriter’s Spotlight

August 2014

• Case Study
• Underwriter's Spotlight

April 2014

• PPM Secures 43rd Consecutive Defense Verdict in Upper Extremity Nerve Damage Litigation
• Cardiac Arrest: Arizona Defense Verdict
• Cardiac Arrest Following Colonoscopy: New Jersey Defense Verdict
• PPM’s Risk Management Highlights Anesthesia Expertise

October 2013

• Expert Testimony Suggests a Heightened Standard of Care for Securing Controlled Substances and Medications Likely to be Diverted
• Risk Management Tips
  
  

April 2013

• ASPF POVL Conference Highlights
• Introduction to POVL by an Anesthesiologist Who Experienced It
• APSF-Sponsored Conference on Perioperative Visual Loss Develops
  Consensus Conclusions
  
  

December 2012

• Wrongful Death: Missouri Defense Verdict
• IV Infiltration: Iowa Defense Verdict
• Pain Management: Florida Defense Verdict
• Nerve Damage: New York Defense Verdict

July 2012

• Risk Management Tips
• Liability Exposure from Contractual Provisions in Training Agreements
• Contract Review Tips

April 2012

• Expert Witness Testimony Peer Review Programs
• Risk Management Tips to Prevent Ischemic Injury in Beach Chair Position

November 2011

• APSF Conference Highlights
• Defending Drug-Induced Respiratory Depression Litigation
• APSF Essential Monitoring Strategies to Detect Clinically Significant Drug-Induced Respiratory Depression in the Postoperative Period

August 2011

• Coverage Alert: PPM Compliance Period Extended
• PPM Medical Board Investigation Defense Expense Coverage

April 2011

• Risk Management Tips
• Defending Obstructive Sleep apnea Litigation
• PPM Earns A- Rating from A.M. Best
  
  

January 2011

• Wrongful Death:  Arizona Defense Verdict
• Nerve Damage:  Georgia Defense Verdict
• Cardiac Arrest:  New York Defense Verdict
• Nerve Damage:  New York Defense Verdict
• Cardiac Arrest:  Rhode Island Defense Verdict

November 2010

• Informed Consent
• Supplemental Informed Consent for Regional Blocks placed during General Anesthesia

July 2010

• Causes of Shortage
• FDA’s Response to the Propofol Shortage
• Implications for Patient Care
• Rationing and Alternative Agents
• $500 Million Jury Verdict Awarded Against Propofol Manufacturer and Distributor

April 2010

• The Fire Triad
• Identifying High-Risk Procedures
• Preventing Intra-operative Fires
• Management of Intra-operative Fires
• Defending Intra-operative Fires in the Courtroom
• Conclusion

December 2009

• Wrongful Death: New Jersey Defense Verdict
• Brain Damage: Iowa PPM Policyholders Dismissed During Trial
• Wrongful Death: PPM Policyholder Dismissed During Missouri Trial
• Dental Injury: Rare Dental New Jersey Trial Results in Defense Verdict
• Nerve Injury: New York Jury Returns Defense Verdict
• Wrongful Death: New York Defense Verdict
  
  

November 2009

• Defending the Addicted Anesthesiologist
• Defending Substance Abuse in the Courtroom
• Identifying the Addicted Anesthesiologist
• Legal Issues
• Drug Testing
• Zero Tolerance vs Impaired Physician Policies

June 2009

• Options of Handling Dental Claims
• Defending Dental Injury Lawsuits
  
  

March 2009

• Changes to Universal Protocol
• Overview of 2009 Universal Protocol
• Problems with the 2009 Universal Protocol
• Risk Management Tips to Prevent Wrong Site Surgical Mistakes

December 2008

• PPM’s Aggressive Strategy Leads to 38th Consecutive Defense Verdict in Upper Extremity Nerve Damage Litigation
• Wrongful Death: Missouri Defense Verdict
• Compartment Syndrome: Texas Defense Verdict
• Wrongful Death: Arizona Defense Verdict

August 2008

• Defending Awareness Cases in the Courtroom
• Brain Function Monitors
• ASA Task Force Concludes Brain Function Monitors are not Standard of Care
• Risk Management Analysis

May 2008

• Expert Witness Testimony Peer Review Programs Reduce Questionable Testimony
• Most Prolific Plaintiff’s Experts
• In the News: Nevada Hepatitis Scare Focuses on Anesthesia Techniques

January 2008

• Problems with the Universal Protocol
• Common Mistakes
• Risk Management Tips to Prevent Wrong Site Surgical Mistakes

September 2007

• Pain Management: Texas Defense Verdict in Overdose Case
• Nerve Damage: Nevada Defense Verdict
• Pain Management: Texas Defense Verdict Handed Down
• Risk Management Analysis

December 2006

• Informed Consent: The Verdict Is In
• Defense Verdict: New York Jury Finds in Favor of Pain Management Specialist
• Implementing an Effective Anesthesia Consent Form

March 2005

• Wrongful Death Case: New York Defense Verdict
• Ulnar Nerve Damage: Kentucky Defense Verdict
• Intubation Injury: Missouri Defense Verdict
• Wrongful Death: Texas Defense Verdict
• Dental Injury: Rare Dental Trial Results in Defense Verdict

March 2004

• ASA Postoperative Visual Loss Registry: Preliminary Analysis of Factors Associated with Spine Operations
• POVL: Michigan Defense Verdict
• PPM Aggressively Pursues Recovery of Costs

June 2003

• Radial Nerve Damage: Arizona Defense Verdict
• Editorial: Expert Witnesses
• Brain Damage and Death: Cook County, Illinois Defense Verdict
• Brain Damaged Baby: Kentucky Defense Verdict
• Risk Management
  
  

July 2002

• Nerve Damage from Regional Blocks placed under General Anesthesia
• Misuse of Forced-Air Warming Equipment Leads to Avoidable Injury
• Wrong-Sited Surgery and Patient Mix-ups
• Burns from Warmed IV Bags
• Intra-operative Fires

July 2001

• Risk Management Tips to Prevent Patient Mix-ups and Misidentification of Surgical Sites

April 2001

• Arizona Defense Verdict in Death Case
• Defense Verdict in Florida Death Case
• Illinois Jury Returns Verdict Against Co-Defendants
• Texas Defense Verdict in Videotaped Awareness Case

August 2000

• Pneumothorax: Florida Jury Rejects Stress Induced Recurrence of Cancer
• Pulmonary Damage: Defense Verdict in West Virginia
• Cervical Injury: New York Court Grants Motion to Dismiss During Trial

December 1999

• Y2K Resources on the Web

April 1998

• Intra-operative Fire: Connecticut Jury Finds Against Anesthesiologist
• Credentialing: Reporting Your Claims History

August 1997

• Eye Injury: Defense Verdict in Connecticut Peribulbar Block Case
• Awareness: High on List of Anesthesia-related Injuries
• Risk Management Analysis

January 1997

• Ulnar Nerve Damage: New Hampshire Defense Verdict
• Ulnar Nerve Damage: Defense Verdict in Missouri
• Femoral Nerve Damage: Directed Verdict in Florida Case
• Risk Management Seminars

October 1996

• Median Nerve Damage: West Virginia Defense Verdict Entered
• Nerve Damage Claims are the Third Most Frequent Injury
• Risk Management Analysis

July 1996

• Dental Injury Leads List of Most Common Claims
• Vision Loss after Peribulbar Block: Iowa Jury Returns Plaintiff’s Verdict
• Risk Management Analysis

April 1996

• Ulnar Nerve Injury: Connecticut Trial Court Enters Verdict
• Epidural Hematoma: Texas Jury Returns Defense Verdict
• Wrong-sided Surgery: Texas Jury Finds for Anesthesiologist
• Pain Management: West Virginia Defense Verdict

October 1995

• Jury Returns Defense Verdict for Insured Anesthesiologist
• Supervised Anesthesia Received Unfavorable Media Attention
• Florida Jury Finds in Favor of Policyholder
• Warmed IV Bags Continue to Result in Claim Settlements
• Intraoperative Fires Lead to Allegations Against Anesthesiologists