Doctor error deaths climb
February 16, 2012
The number of patients dying as a result of mistakes made on the operating table has risen dramatically, according to figures from both government and private sector sources.
More than 1,700 patients died in Germany in 2010 due to either doctor error or defective medical products, according to a report published in the Thursday edition of the mass-circulation Bild newspaper. This represents an increase of almost 35 percent compared to one year earlier.
The report cites the German government's response to a query from the opposition Green Party posed in the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. It said the number of deaths rose from 1,272 to 1,712.
Doctor errors
The rise in the number of deaths attributed to doctor error was particularly stark, climbing from 551 to 944. The highest single cause of death was insufficient sanitation (410 cases), followed by an adverse reaction to a transplant operation (171), and complications following the implantation of an artificial device (121).
A further 61 died due to bad stitching of a wound, 53 others due to erroneous bypass operations or transplants. Wrong or inadvertent cuts led to 47 deaths, 33 died due mistakes associated with endoscopy procedures, and 32 died as a result of amputations.
These figures are significantly lower than estimates compiled by patient advocacy groups. The Action Alliance for Patients' Safety estimates erroneous medical treatment is responsible for 17,000 deaths annually in Germany.
pfd/st (dpa, AFP)