Interventional Pain Procedure Complications Expert Witness
When a pain procedure goes wrong, the questions are specific. Was the procedure indicated? Was consent adequate? Were the technique, image guidance, and any sedation appropriate? Was the complication recognized and treated promptly? Dr. Urits has published case reports on these complications and a study of interventional pain malpractice litigation.
Common issues
• Epidural hematoma, infection, and nerve or spinal cord injury after epidural steroid injection
• Dural puncture and post-dural puncture headache
• Cement leakage during kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty
• Thermal or nerve injury after radiofrequency ablation
• Intravascular injection, local anesthetic toxicity, and sedation-related events
• Informed consent and documentation
Relevant publications by Dr. Urits
• Kamath D, …, Urits I, Horn DB. Descriptive Analysis of Federal and State Interventional Pain Malpractice Litigation in the United States: A Pilot Investigation. Pain Physician. 2020.
• Urits I. Diagnosis and spontaneous resolution of an epidural hematoma after cervical epidural steroid injection. Pain Management Case Reports. 2018.
• Urits I. Epidural cement leakage during kyphoplasty leading to radiculopathy. Pain Management Case Reports. 2019.
• Urits I, Viswanath O, Petro J, Aner M. Management of dural puncture headache caused by caudal epidural steroid injection. J Clin Anesth. 2019.