An Ohio woman has filed a lawsuit against a Marietta hospital alleging that doctors amputated the wrong leg during surgery, according to reports published this week. The case, reported by The Columbus Dispatch, has drawn attention across southeastern Ohio and raised fresh questions about surgical safety protocols.
The hospital responded with a statement expressing sorrow over what occurred. “We are saddened by what occurred, and our team continues to keep this patient and their family in our prayers,” the statement said. The hospital also said it has required retraining of all surgical employees to reinforce patient safety policies and procedures, and is developing additional requirements where needed.
Wrong-site surgeries are considered “never events” in medicine — errors that accredited health organizations say should never happen. Hospitals typically use pre-surgery checklists, site marking and mandatory “time outs” before an incision to confirm the correct patient, procedure and surgical site.
The lawsuit is in its early stages, and further details about the claims and the hospital’s formal legal response are expected as the case moves forward.
