It happens occasionally that the dentist pulls the wrong tooth, and that the surgeon operates on the good eye. Since 2012, unfortunate patients have received NOK 17 million in compensation.
Since 2012, 48 patients have received a total of NOK 17.3 million in compensation after being treated in the wrong place on the body, informed the Norwegian Patient Injury Compensation (NPE) board. Some have removed a body part that was not necessary to remove, according to NPE,who pointed out that the malpractice had caused pain, paralysis, impaired mobility and infections for the patients.
In the 48 cases, everything from the wrong tooth being drawn, to the doctor being confused, for example, over what eye, knee or ankle should be operated upon. Over half of the cases, 27, applied to orthopaedics, while 14 cases were related to surgery of the back, where the doctors either entered the wrong side or had operated at the wrong level.
Most people need to be re-operated, they need more treatment and had an extended course of illness and treatment because the mistake was made.
When NPE finds that malpractice has taken place, it also means that NPE believes that the errors could have been avoided, according to a press release.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
