In Reply:—
We gratefully acknowledge the interest that Dr. Augoustides and Dr. Meyer et al. have shown in our article on closed claims review of deaths related to anesthesia in Denmark.1
Dr. Augoustides makes an insightful comment in noting the lack of a practice guideline for perioperative central venous cannulation. We can only agree that such a guideline would improve the patient safety.
Dr. Meyer et al. indicate that medical errors have been underestimated. We agree that medical errors probably have been underestimated in previous reports, but we have to point out that our data do not allow us to conclude the fraction of medical errors of the total because not all deaths from anesthesia are reported to the Danish Patient Insurance Association.
*Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. larshove@dadlnet.dk
