Both sides now?

Anaesthesia, 2006, 61, page 1231 .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Snippet Both sides now…

Dr J. Alper Associate Specialist Anaesthetics Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton Somerset TA1 5DA E-mail: NicolaCampbell@ doctors.org.uk

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2006.04864.x

A 60-year-old male was listed for unilateral carpal tunnel decompression on an operating list containing both unilateral and bilateral decompressions. The correct side was marked pre-operatively on the volar aspect of his right forearm with a standard indelible marker (Fig. 1). He fell asleep on the ward with his arms crossed, and the surgical

Figure 2

mark ‘transferred’ to the dorsal aspect of his left forearm (Fig. 2). Upon arrival in the anaesthetic room it was noted that both sides were marked. The correct surgical side was re-identified, the mark removed from the incorrect side and a wrong side surgery incident was avoided.

Figure 1

Dr N. Campbell SHO Anaesthetics Mr M. R. Utting Specialist Registrar, Trauma and Orthopaedics

 2006 The Authors Journal compilation  2006 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland

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