A Psychiatrist with Postoperative Anxiety After Hysterectomy: How Could This Be Fatal?

Abstract

Hysterectomy is a common surgery and rarely fatal. Here, we present a case of hysterectomy with postoperative complications, leading to a fatal outcome. The autopsy revealed the cause of death and clinicopathologic correlation suggested multiple lessons for patient safety. Patient safety can be enhanced by appropriate boundaries in the care of physician-patients, proactive monitoring and prompt treatment of postoperative asthma, nasogastric suction for postoperative ileus associated with vomiting, and assessment of the patient situation by a good history and physical examination, going to see the patient in person.