Scandal Doctor removed all breasts from a patient for no reason

Physician error: Accidental amputation of both breasts
During surgery, a Swiss doctor in the Lugano region experienced a serious medical error. He amputated both breasts to a 67-year-old cancer patient, although this was not necessary. Now the doctor has to answer for this.

"The procedure was made on 8 June. When I was pushed into the operating room, I was already stunned, "says the 67-year-old woman in view of the momentous surgery. "When I woke up from the narcosis, it was an absolute shock!" The medical error happened in the clinic Sant'Anna. A criminal case was opened against the hospital. The patient suffered from a breast tumor. During the surgery, however, the doctor removed both breasts, without any indication.

Patient confused: two breasts amputated. Picture: Kzenon - fotolia

First, the doctor had claimed that the procedure had been necessary in this way. But after a few months, the gynecologist admitted the momentous mistake. To his regret he had mistaken the patient, he later admitted. The patient then sued the doctor. In addition, an administrative investigation was initiated. This was confirmed on request of the Ticino newspaper "LaRegioneTicino". In a statement, the clinic regretted the incident. But the responsibility would be, according to the hospital management alone with the attending physician.

Instead of small distance both breasts were missing
The mistake happened alone in the operating room. The patient: "The doctor should remove me a cancer tumor, which had formed behind my nipple". When she woke up the shock was great. Instead of a small surgery both breasts were missing. When the patient asked the doctor why this had happened, he replied that the removal of both breasts was necessary because the tumor had spread, as previously assumed. However, the doctor could not uphold this claim, so he now has to answer for it.

Complete removal of the breasts today rather rare
According to the guidelines, the standard treatment for breast cancer is breast-conserving surgery, with large tumors possibly being downsized by upstream drug therapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). After surgery, additional breast irradiation usually occurs to reduce the risk of relapse in the remaining tissue. In rarer cases, the breast must also be surgically removed (mastectomy), followed in some cases by radiation therapy. However, contrary to these guidelines, it seems that the operation is much less frequent today than it was 15 to 20 years ago. (Sb)