A hospital is investigating after forceps were left in a patient after surgery.
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has apologized and said the incident at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, and first reported by the BBC, was “exceptionally rare”.
The error occurred during a seven-hour abdominal procedure on Nov. 23, it is understood.
The six-inch metal tweezers had to be located using X-rays while the patient was still under anesthesia.
But they could not be removed immediately, and the patient was taken to intensive care overnight for surgery the next day.
Any investigation into what hospitals call a “never event” should reveal how the forceps were overlooked.
The trust said there are “clear and established processes” to prevent such incidents.
Audit at the end of the operation
Usually all instruments are counted and checked before the patient is closed, with a further audit at the end of the operation.
Trust CEO Matthew Hopkins said: “We are aware of an incident where a surgical instrument was left in a patient following surgery.
“There are clear and well-established processes to protect patients from these types of events, which are exceptionally rare.
“We are currently conducting an investigation into what happened.
“The patient and his family have been informed as part of our duty of candor.
“We have apologized unreservedly to the patient and promised to share the findings of our study with them once it is complete.”