Blindness after surgery in eye clinic?

Blindness after surgery in eye clinic? Patients became infected with bacteria after eye surgery.

11.01.2011

The prosecutor Görlitz is currently examining whether an employee of an outpatient eye clinic in Löbau, infected patients with dangerous bacteria. A total of five patients were blind after initial investigations after a cataract surgery and suffered from significant bacterial infections in the eyes.

A total of five people are blind according to initial findings after surgery at a Löbauer joint practice for ophthalmology. All previously known patients had undergone medical intervention in practice. The surgery on the eyes was performed on the basis of a cataract. The prosecution, the police and the district of Görlitz assume that a maximum of five people were harmed.

Medical malpractice is currently excluded
The cause is a medical malpractice currently excluded. Rather, the investigating authorities assume that the blindness was caused by a bacterial infection. Patients may have been infected during treatment by an outpatient ophthalmology clinic staff member. As stated in a public prosecutor's statement, surgical errors are excluded by the treating ophthalmologist and practitioners.

As reported by the district of Görlitz, eye practice had turned to the health department after complications arose in the patients. All patients were operated on the same day, on the 8th of September last year. A few days later, on 15 September 2010, the health department together with the State Investigative Office carried out a hygiene check at the outpatient eye clinic.

Control of health authorities
The medical officer Christoph Ziesch said the results of this inspection had been delivered to the district of Görlitz on 28 December 2010. On January 3, 2011, the findings were then forwarded to the prosecutor. In addition to controlling the surgical procedures, the employees of the practice were also examined for possible infections. The auditors paid particular attention to a specific bacterium that was detected in all affected patients and therefore led to the health complications. The pathogen, which can also be detected in the oral mucosa of humans, was detected after DNA analysis in all affected patients. All employees of the outpatient practice were examined for this type of bacteria. In one case, an employee could be found to have a match of the bacterium.

As the pathogen spreads through droplets, contact, and smear infections, the investigators are now investigating how the bacteria might have spread within the practice. It now depends on these findings whether the prosecution charges a case of negligence and initiates criminal prosecution.

The eyesight could not be saved
According to regional media reports, affected patients who are blind after the procedure are all older and between 75 and 85 years old. After the first operation, patients had to deal with very painful and suppurated infections of the affected eyes. In some cases, the infections are still not completely cured. Despite numerous follow-up treatments in the clinics of Bautzen, Leipzig, Görlitz and Dresden, patients' eyesight could no longer be saved. (Sb)

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