(Berlin) Officials at Mainz University Hospital in western Germany have expressed regret following the revelation that one of their surgeons enlisted the help of a cleaner during a toe amputation procedure. The incident, which occurred in 2020, was reported by public broadcaster SWR on Friday (May 19). Fortunately, there were no complications for the patient involved, but the doctor has since been dismissed from their position.
According to SWR, the hospital’s CEO, Norbert Pfeiffer, stated that the surgeon made an erroneous decision to proceed with the routine procedure despite the absence of a qualified assistant. The local daily Mainzer Allgemeine Zeitung reported that when the patient, who had been administered a local anesthetic, became restless, the doctor asked a nearby cleaner to hold the patient’s leg and pass surgical instruments. It is important to note that the cleaner had no medical experience.
The incident came to light when a hospital manager noticed the cleaner, holding bloody gauze pads, inside the operating theater, as reported by the local paper. German news agency dpa quoted Pfeiffer as saying, “This should never have happened.”
