Surgeon who Operated at Wrong Site Reprimanded by Board of Medicine
A Virginia orthopedic surgeon has been reprimanded by the Board of Medicine for operating on the wrong surgical site.
the surgeon, Michael Snedden, MD, agreed to the entry of a consent order in the case. The Board of Medicine found that in May, 2008 a patient presented to him with a complaint of a lump on the posterior side of her right shoulder. Later, an MRI confirmed the location of the lump.
On the day of surgery, however, the surgeon did not review the MRI report nor did he confirm the location of the lump with the patient. During the surgery he did review the MRI film however he misinterpreted the film and as a result removed a mass from the front of the shoulder instead of the rear of the shoulder were the lump was originally found.
As a result, the patient had to have another surgery.
Has denied any liability to the patient in a lawsuit she filed in the Circuit Court for the city of Fredericksburg.
The Board of Medicine Consent Order is here.
The Free Lance Star has articles on this case here and here.