Confusion arose during surgical preparations due to a lack of proper coordination between an operating room nurse and another staff member, coupled with a failure to follow established protocols.
As a result, the surgeon mistakenly operated on the patient’s left eye. The error was only discovered after the procedure, prompting a second surgery to correct the intended eye. Fortunately, no damage was reported to the eye operated on in error.
The unusual incident was reported to the Health Ministry, and Assuta promptly suspended the involved surgeon, nurse and staff member for one week due to the procedural lapse. “This is an unusual event, and its circumstances are under investigation. The case was immediately reported to the Health Ministry, as required," Assuta Medical Centers said in a statement.
“The patient was informed transparently and openly. Assuta prioritizes treatment safety and wishes the patient a full recovery while continuing to provide any necessary support.”
This incident adds to previous controversies at Assuta hospitals. In September 2022, another case made headlines when a genetic test revealed no biological connection between a couple and the embryo implanted in the mother’s womb following fertility treatments at Assuta Rishon LeZion.
The case revealed negligence in the medical center’s laboratory, resulting in the implantation of the wrong embryo. Last May, the Supreme Court ruled that the infant would remain with the mother and her partner who raised her since birth, rather than being transferred to her biological parents.
A damning report by the Health Ministry published last year further highlighted problematic practices in the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) unit at Assuta Ramat HaHayal.
The report detailed two cases where children born through IVF at the facility had no genetic link to the partner of the woman who gave birth, as well as two instances of egg dehydration due to mishandling. These incidents have raised ongoing concerns about operational standards at Assuta’s facilities.