Police have opened an investigation into suspected negligence after an 18-year-old woman was critically injured during a nose operation at a private hospital in central Israel on Friday, after an acidic substance was allegedly administered instead of an anesthetic.
The woman was rushed to the intensive care unit at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center, where doctors were able to stabilize her condition.
The teenager had been injured in a 2024 traffic accident on Highway 35 in southern Israel. She arrived at the private hospital for surgery on her nose Friday morning.
According to the allegation under investigation, the anesthesiologist confused two substances during the procedure and administered an acidic substance instead of an anesthetic. The error caused severe burns to the woman’s face and respiratory system.
At some point during the procedure, the surgeon noticed what was happening and the operation was halted. A medical team called to the operating room intubated the woman, inserting a breathing tube into her windpipe, and placed her under sedation and on a ventilator.
She was then transferred to Sourasky Medical Center, where she was hospitalized in intensive care in very serious condition.
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On Saturday evening, doctors performed another emergency operation because of the severe damage to her respiratory system. An expanded team of about 10 doctors at Sourasky took part in the procedure, which was aimed at treating the damage to her windpipe.
She remained sedated and hospitalized in intensive care following the surgery.
Police opened an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and possible negligence.
The Health Ministry said it had not been notified of the incident.
“According to an inquiry conducted by the ministry, the incident was not reported to the Health Ministry,” it said in a statement.