Wrong Hip Replaced; Hospital Apologizes

A surgeon replaced the wrong hip on a patient at Washington Hospital Center this week, prompting officials to launch an investigation and apologize.

Hospital officials Friday declined to identify the orthopedic surgeon who committed the error or name the patient, but they said the cost of the procedure and any future operations will be paid by the hospital.

The patient remained in the facility, according to hospital spokeswoman Lisa Wyatt, and is still in the doctor’s care. The patient may have the same doctor perform the operation on the correct hip later, she said. A hospital official said she could not comment on whether the doctor might face disciplinary action.

“It was human error,” she said. “I would say the doctor feels very, very badly.”