Scary Cases in Otolaryngology

A good book for Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) conferences!

Scary Cases in Otolaryngology follows a case-based approach that focuses on potential pitfalls, decision analysis, mistakes, and "near misses" in the management of patients with head and neck disorders. This is an invaluable resource for otolaryngologists as it presents difficult cases and builds a discussion around clinical management, prevention, and the legal and ethical aspects of those cases. Current and future professionals in otolaryngology can analyze their own methodologies as well as the work of their peers to continually promote a safer and healthier environment for their patients.

Scary Cases in Otolaryngology is an extension of the annual Scary Cases Conference held by the Boston University School of Medicine. The conference began in 2011 and aims to improve patient safety by addressing complex and controversial cases that involve increased risk, complications, and unfavorable outcomes. The cases in the text have been selected from previous conference presentations.

This exciting and unique book addresses questions such as

• Did you make a wrong diagnosis before arriving at the correct one?
• Do you believe that you did everything correctly and the outcome was still unsatisfactory?
• Did a patient have a serious condition that was difficult to diagnose?
• Were there major complications?
• Did you have a difficult ethical dilemma?
• Were you required to treat a condition beyond your expertise?

This innovative text includes clinical information on cases provided by faculty from top medical schools along with their narratives on what they learned. Contributors also include experts in medical malpractice and malpractice liability insurance. Practicing otolaryngologists, otolaryngology residents, malpractice attorneys, law students, otolaryngology nurse practitioners and primary care physicians will benefit from the examples in these "scary cases."

From the Foreword

I have taught law at Boston University School of Medicine for 4 decades (I also teach health law at the Law School). There is much to know about the law, but for physicians generally, and surgeons in particular, there are two fundamental legal principles that can make their professional lives less stressful, and that can be easily summarized: Act consistent with the medical standard of care (what a reasonably prudent physician would do in the same or similar circumstances), with your patient's informed consent (including disclosure of the risks and alternatives - and their risks). And, in an emergency, treat first and ask legal questions later. The stories in this volume are written by surgeons who understand the importance of living up to the profession's "standard of care," and of obtaining the patient's informed consent before performing surgery. These stories also illustrate how much surgery - and health care in general - has evolved to take informed consent seriously, and to move, slowly but surely, beyond a "culture of silence" to a culture of safety. As scary as most of them are, I found the stories in this book strangely comforting. This is because, I think, they expose and reflect a practice of surgery, at least of otolaryngology, that is patient-centered and populated by surgeons who take both the standard of care and the patient's informed consent seriously.

George J. Annas, JD, MPH
Warren Distinguished Professor and Director
Center for Health Law, Ethics & Human Rights
Boston University School of Public Health

Details: 256 pages, Colour Illustrations (4 Colour), Softcover, 7 x 10" 1 lbs

ISBN13: 978-1-59756-654-4

Release Date: 29/11/2016