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In Marietta, Ohio, a distressing medical error has led to a lawsuit after 74-year-old cancer patient Sharon Jacks had the wrong leg amputated at Selby General Hospital. According to her attorneys, the hospital, its parent company Marietta Area Health Care Inc., and the surgical team are being sued for medical negligence and battery.
The legal complaint claims that hospital staff “failed to properly identify and verify the correct operative extremity,” resulting in surgery on the wrong leg. Jacks had originally consented to an elective below-the-knee amputation of her right leg due to cancer and a chronic venous stasis ulcer-a wound known for slow healing caused by vein and blood flow issues, typically near the ankle.
Brad Layne, the family’s attorney, explained that before the surgery, all checks appeared to be in order, including marking the correct leg and conducting two surgical “time-outs” intended to prevent errors. Despite these precautions, the procedure was performed on the wrong leg, leaving Jacks a double amputee.
The consequences have been profound. Layne highlighted the challenges Jacks now faces, including the need for prosthetics, modifications to her home and transportation, and the complete care provided by her husband, Dannie Jacks, who has had to quit his job to support her. Daily tasks have become a struggle, requiring assistance just to move between a board and wheelchair or perform basic activities.
In response, Selby General Hospital acknowledged the event as “an adverse surgical event” and admitted that standard operating room procedures were not followed. The hospital stated that those responsible have been held accountable and are no longer employed there.
This case underscores the critical importance of rigorous surgical protocols and vigilance to prevent such devastating errors.