USC transplants kidney into wrong person

[Newsjock]

Source: Los Angeles Times

USC University Hospital shut down its kidney transplant program last month after a kidney was accidentally transplanted into the wrong patient, according to a spokesman for the program that coordinates organ transplants in Los Angeles.

The patient escaped harm apparently because the mistake involved a kidney that happened to be a close enough match, said Bryan Stewart, a spokesman for One Legacy, which was notified of the error by the hospital.

In a statement, the hospital confirmed that it had temporarily and voluntarily halted transplants Jan. 29 after a “process error” was discovered. The hospital did not detail the nature of the error and declined to answer questions. But it said that no patients were harmed.

... “The California Department of Public Health has an ongoing investigation at the University of Southern California’s hospitals, and we are unable to provide further information,” said spokesman Ralph Montano. The department licenses hospitals in California and investigates complaints from patients, workers and members of the public, as well as certain significant incidents that hospitals are required to report. Montano could not say when or how the USC investigation began.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/02/usc-transplants-kidney-into-wrong-person.html

[Stuart G]

1. Someone explain how this could happen???

[hlthe2b]

2. Most advanced medical centers like that... bar code everything

(or use a similar system).... they bar code the patient's id, chart, meds, equipment used for them, and of course, blood, tissue, or organs meant for them.

Someone overworked and taking short cuts, I imagine....:shrug:

[Cant trust em]

3. Man, I knew I picked the right school.

Go Bruins!

[Frank Booth]

4. What more can you expect from a football school?