Case Studies in Dysphagia Malpractice Litigation

Case Studies in Dysphagia Malpractice Litigation

by Dennis C. Tanner

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.