Florida hospital surgeons mistakenly amputate wrong leg of patient

Jet, March 20, 1995

A Florida man who recently underwent surgery to have his right foot amputated awoke to learn his left leg was cut off.

The patient, Willie King, was told of the blunder while he was in the recovery room at University Community Hospital in Tampa, FL. Doctors mistakenly amputated King's left leg below the knee.

King's brother, John Hollis, has said King joked with the hospital staff just before he went into surgery to be sure they knew which foot they were going to amputate.

"Now he'll be without any legs at all. He's very depressed about it," Hollis stated.

King, a 51-year-old diabetic, was listed in good condition at the hospital at Jet press time.

The hospital is investigating the mistake. The state Department of Professional Regulation and the Health Care Administration will also investigate.

King's lawyer, Peter J. Brudny said: "It should have been obvious which foot had to go, because poor circulation had led to tissue deterioration, and medical records show King had sores and gangrene on his right foot."

Brudny said King has pain in his right leg and can't walk. He's also checking on getting King a prosthesis and wants the hospital, surgeon and others to compensate King.