A mistake during a gynecological procedure at Emek Medical Center led to a woman being operated on the wrong side of her body, according to a report on Tuesday. It remains unclear what caused the serious incident, which was reported to the Health Ministry.
The patient arrived about a month ago for surgery to remove a suspicious lesion in the genital area. According to the hospital, she had already undergone an initial procedure, and after lab results came back, she was asked to return for an expanded removal — a standard step.
“Unfortunately, the expansion was performed on the wrong side,” the hospital said. “The error was identified by the hospital, and after the patient was fully informed, she successfully underwent the correct procedure and is being followed by the medical team. The hospital reported the case to the Health Ministry, investigated it and implemented lessons to prevent recurrence.”
Operating on the wrong organ or the wrong side is classified by the Health Ministry as a “never event,” a category introduced in a 2011 directive listing incidents that should not occur under any circumstances. The directive, aimed at improving patient safety, includes events that can be prevented through clear protocols, support systems and adherence to procedures.
Other “never events” include inadvertently leaving a foreign object in the body during surgery, causing second- or third-degree burns during a procedure, or administering the wrong blood type in a way that results in death.
“Operating on the wrong organ is a severe failure that must not happen,” a senior official said, “The protocols of the health system, including the Health Ministry’s directive, address these exact situations and define them as events that are completely unacceptable. Simple, consistent adherence to procedure would have prevented this case.”