Elderly Man Has Wrong Leg Amputated In 'Tragic Mistake'

An 82-year-old man from Austria had the wrong leg amputated in what the hospital called a "tragic mistake." The man suffered from "numerous medical conditions" and was scheduled to have his left leg removed on Tuesday (May 18).

While the man was being prepared for surgery, a hospital worker put a preoperative mark on the man's right leg instead. When he went into the operating room, the surgeon amputated his right leg above the knee. The man, who has trouble speaking, did not notice the issue when he woke up from surgery.

The mix-up wasn't discovered until two days later, when his dressings were being changed.

"It was (Thursday) morning, in the course of the standard wound dressing change, that the tragic mistake, caused by human error, was discovered," the hospital said in a statement.

Hospital officials said the man will have to have the correct leg amputated in the coming days. They are working with investigators and the local prosecutor's office to determine how the mistake happened.

"We would also like to affirm that we will be doing everything to unravel the case, to investigate all internal processes, and critically analyze them. Any necessary steps will immediately be taken," the hospital said.

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