Doctors in Turkey allegedly operate on patient's healthy ear

It has been reported that at Okan University Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, a surgical procedure was mistakenly performed on a patient's left ear instead of his diseased right ear. This was reported by "Akşam" and other Turkish publications.

According to reports, Murat Tarakchi, a resident of Gebze district in Kocaeli province, sought medical attention at Okan University Hospital in Tuzla district, Istanbul, due to fluid accumulation in his right middle ear. Following examinations, a surgery on his right ear was scheduled.

However, Tarakchi stated that during the operation, a tube was placed in his left ear instead of his right. When he woke up from anesthesia, he felt severe pain in his left ear and realized that the procedure had been performed on that exact ear. Afterward, the medical staff became aware of the mistake.

According to reports, the medical team operated on the patient again under general anesthesia that same day, and this time performed the procedure on the correct—right—ear. Thus, Tarakchi received general anesthesia twice in a single day.

Dissatisfied with the doctors' mistake, Tarakchi filed a complaint against the hospital and the medical staff. His lawyer described the incident as "surgery performed on the wrong side" and announced that legal proceedings have been initiated. The patient claimed that following the surgeries, he has been experiencing ringing in his ears, as well as hearing and balance problems.

Meanwhile, the administration of Okan University Hospital stated that they cannot comment at this time due to the ongoing legal process. Therefore, certain consequences and circumstances of the error reported by the patient are currently viewed as his claims rather than a final legal conclusion.