An 18-year-old woman is hospitalized in intermediate condition after suffering serious injuries during a routine nose surgery at TLV Medical, a private hospital in Tel Aviv, when a gauze pad soaked in acid was allegedly inserted in place of anesthetic material.
The incident occurred Friday morning during what was intended to be an aesthetic rhinoplasty procedure. According to medical reports, during surgical preparation, a nursing staff member allegedly placed a gauze tampon saturated with TCA (trichloroacetic acid) into the patient's nasal cavity instead of an anesthetic-soaked pad. The patient inhaled the corrosive substance, causing chemical burns to her respiratory tract.
The patient was transferred to Ichilov Hospital's intensive care unit by Magen David Adom paramedics. Emergency responders documented that the patient arrived sedated and intubated, with her medical team present at the private hospital. In the paramedic report, the condition was described as a potential acid burn requiring urgent evaluation.
Due to damage to her respiratory system, the patient underwent additional emergency surgery before Shabbat ended. Her condition has since been stabilized and classified as moderate.
Hospital's Account vs. Health Ministry Statement
TLV Medical issued a statement claiming that nursing staff member confused the materials and mistakenly soaked the gauze in the wrong substance. The hospital stated it reported the incident to Israel's Health Ministry immediately.
However, the Health Ministry told Ynet that no such incident report was filed with the regulatory agency.
Family Response and Legal Action
The patient's family has filed a formal complaint with Israeli police. The incident is now under criminal investigation. The family has not yet publicly commented on the condition or prognosis.
The patient was previously injured in a motor vehicle accident two years ago on Highway 35 near Kibbutz Givati. She had come to TLV Medical for aesthetic surgery to address complications or damage from that earlier injury.
Regulatory and Professional Response
The Health Ministry has launched a formal investigation into TLV Medical's practices and incident-reporting procedures. No statement has been issued by the hospital regarding disciplinary action against staff, nor has the hospital confirmed the name or status of the nurse involved.
This incident adds to an ongoing pattern of reported medical negligence cases in Israel's private hospital sector, where regulatory oversight has been a subject of ongoing debate among patient advocacy groups and medical professionals.
The investigative files are being prepared for potential criminal charges against responsible parties.
