Medical Device Accidents: With Illustrative Cases

This publication explores accidents that occur through the use of medical devices, providing critical information for attorneys, expert witnesses, clinical engineers, nurses, physicians, manufacturers, and designers of new medical devices. Each chapter follows the same format: a presentation of basic principles of a device or procedure, followed by accidents that take place through misuse or malfunction. Discussions include: - Product liability - Medical technology - Identifying product defect, design defect, misuse, negligence - Statutory medical device reporting - Incident reporting - The increasing use of electronic controls (analog and digital) - Susceptibility of medical devices to electromagnetic interference. (EMI) - Malfunctions within apnea monitors, ECG, EEG instruments, ventilators, drug-infusion pumps, pacemakers, automatic-implanted defibrillators, and other devices - Electrosurgical accidents - Anesthetic accidents - Intravascular catheters - Direct-current injuries - Pressure and chemical injury, including allergic responses - Skin and instrument disinfectants and stirilizants - Observations and tips for expert-witnessing - Case studies and examples throughout the text illustrate and enliven the distinctive purpose of this singular resource.