A spokesperson from Linz, the Austrian tribunal that oversees the case said Wednesday that a surgeon was fined by an Austrian court for amputating the wrong knee of an elderly patient.
While the 43-year-old defendant said her actions were due to ‘human error’, the judge found her guilty of gross negligence and fined her €2,700 ($3,060), with half the amount suspended.
Before the May operation, the surgeon marked the incorrect leg for the patient (age 82), in Freistadt. The mistake was only discovered two days later.
Prior to the May procedure in Freistadt, Germany (pictured), the surgeon had already marked the wrong leg on the 82-year old patient. He only noticed the mistake two days following the actual operation.
The court awarded the widow of the deceased patient 5,000 euro in damages and interest.
According to the surgeon, there was a problem in the control chain in the operating room.
The judge has been appealed and she moved to another hospital.
Although the defendant, aged 43 years old claimed her actions were due ‘human error’ the judge found her guilty and suspended half of the fine.
In a statement, the management of the hospital involved stated that the ’causes and circumstances’ of the medical error had been thoroughly analysed and internal procedures reviewed with the team. Training was also provided.
It comes after an Austrian hospital admitted to amputating the wrong leg of one of its elderly patients during what should have been a routine procedure earlier this year.
A small Czech town near the Czech border called Freistadt Clinic and said they were ‘deeply stunned’ by the incident.
The 82-year-old patient required surgery on his left leg due to past illnesses. But surgeons identified the problem limb and took him to the operating table.
Two days later, however, nurses discovered that the hospital made an error in the procedure.
The Freistadt Clinic (above) in north Austria admitted to amputating the wrong leg of one of its elderly patients earlier this week