Doctor fired after amputating wrong leg on patient
FREISTADT, Austria (WKRC) - A doctor in Austria who botched a surgery by amputating the wrong leg on a patient has been fired.
According to AFP news agency, the surgeon removed an elderly patient's right leg -- but it was supposed to be the left.
The accident happened in May, and was discovered two days after the operation during a routine bandage change.
After the mistake was realized, the patient was told he would still need his other leg amputated, as well.
The director of the clinic gave a public apology, and a statement from the hospital said the incident was the "result of a sequence of unfortunate circumstances."
BBC News reported that the doctor was sued for gross negligence, although the patient died before the case reached court.
According to the German newspaper Kurier, the 43-year-old doctor said there was a flaw in the chain of command in the operating room, and that she doesn't know how she could've marked the wrong leg.
She stated in court that she "made a mistake," but denied "gross negligence."
The court found her guilty and she was fined €2,700 (about $3,053). She has since moved to another clinic and half of the fine has been suspended.
Upper Austrian Health Holding (OÖG), the organization that runs the clinic, said in a press conference that the incident was investigated and the rest of the surgery team was required to go through safety training.
The patient's widow received €5,000 (about $5,651) in damages.
