Man Dies After Surgeon Screws Up

[Rhino]

Man Dies After Surgeon Operates on Wrong Side of Head
Friday, August 24, 2007

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — An 86-year-old man has died three weeks after a surgeon operated on the wrong side of his head, and state health authorities were investigating whether the mistake contributed to his death.

The patient..., died Saturday....

...The man underwent emergency surgery at Rhode Island Hospital on July 30 to treat bleeding in his brain, according to a state report released Thursday.

A nurse practitioner for Dr. Frederick Harrington didn't record which side of the man's brain required surgery. When another nurse pointed out the missing information, Harrington allegedly relied on his memory without consulting a CT chart and began operating on the wrong side. Upon realizing the error during the surgery, the surgeon operated on the correct side....http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294414,00.html

[garlicguy]

Reminds me of basic training: Left, Right, Left, Right, etc.

Kinda like Washington, D.C. as well.

[Lazarus]

YEP... Sounds like he SREWED up for sure... Sorry Rhino, I couldn't help myself...:biggrin:

Hey this is serious stuff in hospitals today... I just had surgery on my left ring finger last week and the nurse preparing me for the surgery took a felt-tip pen and marked which hand and which finger was due for the surgeon's attention...

[Rhino]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Title fixed...... smartass! :evilgrin:

[Patriot Heart]

I was checked at least FIVE times before my lumpectomy last year, it was marked, checked, rechecked, each time I was verbally asked to agree as to the correct side. No excuse for those horrendous mistakes anymore.

[mateusrosé]

I read that an increasing number of patients are writing on the limb or body part to be operated on. No wonder.

[PaulRevere]

Reminds me of basic training: Left, Right, Left, Right, etc.

Kinda like Washington, D.C. as well.

Geez, it doesn't take a brain surgeon to tell left from right!

"Left, left, le ... you're OTHER LEFT, Harrington!"

With an error rate like his, he could still be an editor at the NY Times!

[DeclinetoState]

With an error rate like his, he could still be an editor at the NY Times!<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->Or he could have worked for Dan Rather at CBS!

[DoctorDoom]

On the 7th I went in for a hydrocelectomy. I was told to use a marker to indicate which side was involved. Fortunately, it was obvious and the surgeon was competent. That's an -ectomy that I definitely want to be right. :evilgrin:

[ThomasMore]

On the 7th I went in for a hydrocelectomy.

OUCH! Hope you're doing well, Doc.

I have had (separately) epididymitis and four surgeries (including stents) for renal calculi. I know what it feels like to have pain in that part of the body.