Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis

Laura Filograna; Guglielmo Manenti; Vincenzo Arena; Marco Dell'Aquila; Vincenzo Lorenzo Pascali; Luigi Natale; Cesare Colosimo; Simone Grassi; Roberto Floris; Antonio Oliva

doi:10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454

Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis

Laura Filograna, Guglielmo Manenti, Vincenzo Arena, Marco Dell'Aquila, Vincenzo Lorenzo Pascali, Luigi Natale, Cesare Colosimo, Simone Grassi, Roberto Floris, Antonio Oliva

University of Rome Tor Vergata

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

We present the case of an elderly woman who died from COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. The physicians in charge of the patient were later accused of medical malpractice resulting in the death of the patient. The article reviews the comprehensive medico-legal investigations into this case that included an analysis of the medical history, clinical imaging, post-mortem imaging, autopsy, histopathology, and microbiology as well as an assessment of the medical knowledge regarding transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the management of COVID-19 at the time of the patient's death. The investigation resulted in a verdict of not guilty. This case highlights the value of clinical and post-mortem imaging as well as various challenges of medico-legal investigations of COVID-19 related deaths.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-4
Number of pages	4
Journal	Forensic Imaging
Volume	25
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454
Publication status	Published - 2021

Keywords

Autopsy
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Medical malpractice
Post-mortem CT
Forensic investigations

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10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454

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Filograna, L., Manenti, G., Arena, V., Dell'Aquila, M., Pascali, V. L., Natale, L., Colosimo, C., Grassi, S., Floris, R., & Oliva, A. (2021). Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis. Forensic Imaging, 25, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454

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title = "Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis",

abstract = "We present the case of an elderly woman who died from COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. The physicians in charge of the patient were later accused of medical malpractice resulting in the death of the patient. The article reviews the comprehensive medico-legal investigations into this case that included an analysis of the medical history, clinical imaging, post-mortem imaging, autopsy, histopathology, and microbiology as well as an assessment of the medical knowledge regarding transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the management of COVID-19 at the time of the patient's death. The investigation resulted in a verdict of not guilty. This case highlights the value of clinical and post-mortem imaging as well as various challenges of medico-legal investigations of COVID-19 related deaths.",

keywords = "Autopsy, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Medical malpractice, Post-mortem CT, Forensic investigations, Autopsy, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Medical malpractice, Post-mortem CT, Forensic investigations",

author = "Laura Filograna and Guglielmo Manenti and Vincenzo Arena and Marco Dell'Aquila and Pascali, {Vincenzo Lorenzo} and Luigi Natale and Cesare Colosimo and Simone Grassi and Roberto Floris and Antonio Oliva",

year = "2021",

doi = "10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "1--4",

journal = "Forensic Imaging",

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Filograna, L, Manenti, G, Arena, V, Dell'Aquila, M, Pascali, VL , Natale, L, Colosimo, C, Grassi, S, Floris, R & Oliva, A 2021, 'Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis', Forensic Imaging, vol. 25, pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454

TY - JOUR

T1 - Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis

AU - Filograna, Laura

AU - Manenti, Guglielmo

AU - Arena, Vincenzo

AU - Dell'Aquila, Marco

AU - Pascali, Vincenzo Lorenzo

AU - Natale, Luigi

AU - Colosimo, Cesare

AU - Grassi, Simone

AU - Floris, Roberto

AU - Oliva, Antonio

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - We present the case of an elderly woman who died from COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. The physicians in charge of the patient were later accused of medical malpractice resulting in the death of the patient. The article reviews the comprehensive medico-legal investigations into this case that included an analysis of the medical history, clinical imaging, post-mortem imaging, autopsy, histopathology, and microbiology as well as an assessment of the medical knowledge regarding transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the management of COVID-19 at the time of the patient's death. The investigation resulted in a verdict of not guilty. This case highlights the value of clinical and post-mortem imaging as well as various challenges of medico-legal investigations of COVID-19 related deaths.

AB - We present the case of an elderly woman who died from COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic. The physicians in charge of the patient were later accused of medical malpractice resulting in the death of the patient. The article reviews the comprehensive medico-legal investigations into this case that included an analysis of the medical history, clinical imaging, post-mortem imaging, autopsy, histopathology, and microbiology as well as an assessment of the medical knowledge regarding transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the management of COVID-19 at the time of the patient's death. The investigation resulted in a verdict of not guilty. This case highlights the value of clinical and post-mortem imaging as well as various challenges of medico-legal investigations of COVID-19 related deaths.

KW - Autopsy

KW - COVID-19

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Medical malpractice

KW - Post-mortem CT

KW - Forensic investigations

KW - Autopsy

KW - COVID-19

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Medical malpractice

KW - Post-mortem CT

KW - Forensic investigations

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/242154

U2 - 10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454

DO - 10.1016/j.fri.2021.200454

M3 - Article

SN - 2666-2264

VL - 25

SP - 1

EP - 4

JO - Forensic Imaging

JF - Forensic Imaging

ER -

Claimed medical malpractice in fatal SARS-CoV-2 infections: the importance of combining ante- and post-mortem radiological data and autopsy findings for correct forensic analysis

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Keywords

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