February 2001 World Headlines

Tuesday, February 27, 2001 - Web posted at 12:03:16 PM GMT

Oops! operated wrong part of brain

NEW YORK - A hospital has suspended two doctors for allegedly operating on the wrong side of a man's brain.

The patient was listed in stable condition after another procedure was performed to remove a blood clot from the right side of his brain.

The Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn and the New York State Health Department are investigating the circumstances that led doctors Rene Kotzen and Mike W.

Chou to mistakenly operate on the left side of Kevin Walsh's brain to remove a potentially fatal clot, Sunday's New York Post reported.

Walsh's CT scan was reportedly placed backward on the viewing screen before the surgery.

Kotzen, 44, is reported to have performed the operation.

A lawyer for Chou, 37, said his client prepared the patient for the procedure, but was not present for the surgery, according to Monday's The New York Times.

The hospital issued a statement saying that it suspended the doctors on Feb.

21, a day after the surgery was performed, and reported the incident to regulatory agencies.

Neither suspended doctor is reported to have any recent record of medical miscues.

- Nampa-Sapa-AP

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