Octogenarian dies at Sheba after being infused with incompatible blood

Anesthesiologist suspended from all work at Sheba Medical Center for two weeks.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Sheba Medical Center 224.88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Sheba Medical Center 224.88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
An 80-year-old woman died at Sheba Medical Center after "mistakenly" getting an infusion of blood of an incompatible type, the Tel Hashomer hospital announced on Sunday morning. Sheba administrators immediately informed the Health Ministry, which will set up its own investigation committee to look into the tragedy. The woman, who lived in the center of the country, arrived after midnight for emergency vascular surgery aimed at saving her two legs. But during the operation, "an unfortunate human error occurred" in which she was given a type of blood not compatible with her own, the hospital spokesman said. When the error was realized, efforts were made to resuscitate the patient for a long period, but they failed, and doctors officially pronounced her dead. A full statement was given to her family "in the transparency that characterizes the hospital," before the ministry and the press were notified. The hospital's own initial inquiry suggested that a female anesthesiologist failed to observe the medical school's required procedures. She has been suspended from all work at the hospital for two weeks. Sheba, the country's largest medical center, itself asked the ministry to establish an investigation committee and said it would fully cooperate with the team. Sheba expressed its sorrow and condolences to the family.