Case Studies in Dysphagia Malpractice Litigation

Description

Drawing on his experiences as an Expert Witness in numerous medico-legal cases, Dennis Tanner provides an overview of dysphagia and reviews issues that may lead to malpractice litigation.

The first part of the book he provides a general overview of the anatomy, physiology, and neurology of sucking, chewing, and swallowing. The three stages of swallowing are detailed including objectives, methods, and procedures of evaluation and treatment. In the second part, he addresses the primary issues in dysphagia malpractice litigation including professional proficiency in dysphagia management, professional communication, the clinical bedside assessment and instrumental swallowing studies, and diet and feeding considerations. Part III comprises a review of dysphagia malpractice litigation issues and the role of the expert witness, and the concluding part provides a comprehensive analysis of five dysphagia malpractice cases and reviews the issues from the plaintiff and defense positions. All five dysphagia cases involve the deaths of the dysphagic patients.

Table of contents

Foreword
by Christopher Regan, Esq.

To the Reader

Introduction

Part I: Overview of Swallowing and Dysphagia

• Defining Dysphagia
• Primary Nerves and Muscles of Deglutition
• The Dysphagia Evaluation
• General Background Information
• Oral Stage Clinical Bedside Assessment
• Pharyngeal Stage Clinical Bedside Assessment
• Laryngeal-Esophageal Clinical Bedside Assessment
• Instrumental Dysphagia Assessment
• Treating Dysphagia
• Tracheotomies
• Feeding Tubes
• Pediatric Dysphagia
• Thought, Discussion, and Study Questions

Part II: Issues in Dysphagia Malpractice Litigation

• Primary Dysphagia Malpractice Litigation Issues
• Professional Proficiency in Dysphagia Management
• Professional Communication
• Accuracy, Appropriateness, and Timeliness of Clinical Bedside Screening and Assessment
• Instrumental Swallowing Studies
• Fiberoptic Endoscopic Examination
• Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study
• Diet, NPO Status, and Tube Feeding
• Thought, Discussion, and Study Questions

Part III: Dysphagia Malpractice Litigation and the Expert Witness

• Opinions, Impeachment, and Probabilities
• The Investigative Process
• The Clinical Timeline
• Thought, Discussion, and Study Questions

Part IV: Dysphagia Malpractice Case Studies

• Case Study 1: Albert Anderson
  Opinion
• Case Study 2: Christine Fuller
  Opinion
• Case Study 3: Roy Johnson
  Opinion
• Case Study 4: Catherine Townsend
  Opinion
• Case Study 5: Joan Munger
  Opinion
• Case Analyses and Recommendations
• Summary
• Thought, Discussion, and Study Questions

Suggested Reading
References
Abbreviations and Glossary