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Fatal complications resulting from interventional procedures can be avoided in up to half of cases if radiologists follow the correct procedures. Being familiar with good technique, understanding the desired end point of any procedure, and knowing when to ask for help are keys to success.
Fatal complications resulting from interventional procedures can be avoided in up to half of cases if radiologists follow the correct procedures. Being familiar with good technique, understanding the desired end point of any procedure, and knowing when to ask for help are keys to success.
These and other points were the focus of an RSNA education exhibit developed by Dr. Julia Gates and Dr. George Hartnell, radiologists at Baystate Medical Center at Tufts University in Springfield, MA.
"Discussion of major complications, especially fatalities, seems to be very limited," the team noted in its exhibit. "The need to retain peer-review confidentiality impairs widespread discussion. Fear of malpractice also limits acknowledgment of responsibility, but much can be learned from past errors."
Key tips from the exhibit include:
"Hoping for a good outcome may not be enough," the authors noted. "The unexpected can and does happen. When patients ask, "Can I die from this?" the answer should be yes. Even a peripherally inserted central catheter can cause a fatal arrhythmia.
See the Society of Interventional Radiology guidelines for likely mortality rates (www.sirweb.org)."
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