Surgeon suspended after incorrect surgery

A surgeon in northern Vietnam has been suspended after he operated on the wrong arm of 6-year-old boy last week.

The operation at Hospital 115 of Nghe An Province on Jun. 17 had been intended to remove metal rods which had been placed inside the child’s right wrist after he broke it in February.

The boy’s parents said they were shocked to notice that both his wrists were in bandage after the operation.

Pham Van Dung, Vice Director of Hospital 115 of Nghe An Province, admitted that a medical mix-up had happened.

He said Dr. Tuan, the surgeon, “had not double-checked” before the operation, and only realized the mistake after he had cut to open up the wrist and could not find the metal rods.

The boy was later brought to Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi for a thorough check-up. Dung said his hospital would pay any expense incurred. 

He said the hospital leaders apologized to the boy and his family for the mistake.

A full examination of the circumstances has been mounted and further punishments will be considered against Dr. Tuan and the surgical team, Dung said.

The Ministry of Health has also asked the Health Department of Nghe An Province to look into the incident.