Getting Off on the Wrong Foot: Houston Hospital Operates on Wrong Foot

[Bill]

https://abc13.com/wrong-operation-ma...does/13096874/

Same hospital, by the way, that was the first, and most zealous, about firing employees that didn't take the clot shots. Coincidence, or causation?

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Cypress woman says her doctor at Houston Methodist operated on the wrong foot and then tried to cover it up.

According to a lawsuit filed in January, the alleged erroneous procedure happened at Houston Methodist West Hospital on the Katy Freeway.

Mary "Linda" Almanza said that she had painful bone spurs in both feet, which were worse in her left foot. Hoping for some relief, she had surgery to repair them in December 2021.

"When I woke up, I was livid. I was so upset and all I could say was, 'they did the wrong foot.' And the nurse goes, 'What?' And I said, 'They did the wrong foot,'" Almanza told ABC13.

Almanza said she and her doctor agreed to do the left foot first, but her right one was operated on instead, and no one caught it. Her husband then told her about a consent form she shared with ABC13 that she said the doctor compelled him to initial after the surgery was over.

"She changed it. She changed it, and she initialed when she changed it," Almanza said. "And she changed it from doing the foot we agreed on to something we didn't agree on."

A spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation. Their attorneys filed an answer to the original petition asserting a General Denial last month.

"We want to make sure they have the procedures in place so something like this doesn't happen to us or anyone else we care about," Almanza's attorney, Lance Walters, said. "She was supposed to get her foot repaired, but now she has two bum feet."

Almanza now struggles with every step. She needs a cane or walker, even in her home. The once-active retiree mourns her old life and believes the hospital is responsible.

"I hope that they will learn from this, that this will make them learn that they can't let things like this happen to people. They can't ruin people's lives and get away with it," Alamanza said.

Since she had the same problem in both feet, assuming the operation on the wrong foot was a success, she wasn't really hurt that much. She got medical treatment she needed, she just didn't get it in the order it needed to be done in. The real issue is if her allegation that the doc is covering this up is true.

The hospital should have immediately offered to do the other one, with everything comped, free, for all of it, vs. covering it up.

At that point, her damages would be pain and suffering for however long it takes the foot operated on to heal. Once that's done, the other one can be done, and her damages are effectively over. If she collects big, it will be the cover up, not the actual mistake that costs. I mean, as soon as the repaired foot is healed and she has the surgery on the correct foot, she's actually in BETTER shape, since the first repair is now healed and there's no more pain there.

[Rodnok1]

Remember the rash of wrong limbs being amputated or worked on years ago...
I'd write NOT THIS FOOT with a sharpie myself because well people are stupid

[6spdC6]

Wow, when I had my left knee replaced at least 6 different people asked me what knee. Two use a marker on my leg and I was told to sign the leg. How the hell could somebody get the wrong side operated on if that procedure I had was a typical way of doing surgery!

[Vandelay Industries]

The left foot?

Right.

[Don Rickles]

This happened to my Grandfather. They took his left arm below the elbow, when his ailment was in his left foot....

I understand, they made a nice settlement.

He was a machinist at the Navy Yard in Phila. The tools he made for his prosthetic arm were just amazing! From small hammers, to adjustable wrenches, even a Yankee screwdriver. They all threaded into the fake arm.

Of course we all called him Captain Hook! He'd pinch you with the hook if you mouthed off!

[99 pewtercoupe]

In February I had cataract surgery on my right eye. From the time I checked in till the doctor actually was ready to begin with laser, at least six difficult people asked me to confirm which eye was being done. It was the third or fourth person then actually put a mark on my forehead above my right eyebrow

Years ago my FIL was in a hospital due to a gastrointestinal issue. My wife and MIL went to visit him. Just as they got to his room he was being wheeled out for surgery. They were both shocked since he was not scheduled for any kind of surgery so they asked the people there. They checked some charts and said it was to remove an eye that was cancerous!!! We all wondered if it would have gone all the way to him loosing an eye

[MadInNc]

Just went through surgery on right foot/ ankle. Surgeon came in and signed his name on the “right” leg

[Tikiman]

There will be a lot more of this happening going forward since schools have to teach to the lowest common denominator in any class and nobody is allowed to fail. Medical schools will have to take people with 75 IQs to meet equity and diversity numbers.

[TheRealBadger]

Originally Posted by 6spdC6

Wow, when I had my left knee replaced at least 6 different people asked me what knee. Two use a marker on my leg and I was told to sign the leg. How the hell could somebody get the wrong side operated on if that procedure I had was a typical way of doing surgery!

Exactly what happened when my wife had her hip replacement. Everyone, even the check in nurse, asked her which leg. Then the doctor drew on her leg. Then the OR nurse drew on her leg. Then my wife did. He was doing 8 hip replacements that day.

[Rodnok1]

Imagine if they take the wrong kidney out.. And it happens. I be drawing all over myself.

[jw38]

When I had cataract surgery on my left eye, they covered my right eye with a patch. On the patch it read "Not this eye". Several weeks later, I had the same procedure done on my right eye, and they covered my left eye with the same kind of patch!