A patient is suing Yale New Haven (Conn.) Hospital for allegedly removing part of the wrong rib during surgery, according to CNN.
Here are four points.
1. The patient claims surgeons removed part of her seventh rib when she underwent surgery to remove part of her eighth rib due to a precancerous lesion. She also alleges one of the surgeons tried to cover up the error.
2. On May 18, the patient began feeling pain and underwent an X-ray. One Yale New Haven surgeon told the patient surgeons removed the wrong rib. However, shortly after, a different surgeon told the patient the surgeons did not remove enough of the rib during surgery and she therefore would have to undergo a second surgery. The patient then underwent another procedure to remove the correct portion of the rib.
3. Yale New Haven issued a statement last week saying the hospital recognized the error, informed and apologized to the patient. The hospital also said it reported the incident to the Connecticut Department of Health. The patient says she did not receive an apology.
4. In the suit, the patient alleges Yale surgeons should have known they were operating on the wrong rib because the correct rib was marked prior to surgery with metal coils and dye.
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