Surgeon missed emergency surgery because he had to eat first -- then fell asleep

[left-of-center2012]

Surgeon missed emergency surgery because
he had to eat first — then fell asleep and didn’t return ‘til the next day.
The incident occurred in 2016, but Massachusetts state regulators have just now fined a top Boston surgeon who left a patient awaiting ankle surgery lying on an emergency room operating table, while he went for something to eat, and then fell asleep. He didn’t return until the next day.

A report by USA Today said Dr. Tony Tannoury, a spinal surgeon at Boston Medical Center, has been reprimanded by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine. He’s facing a $5,000 fine and will be required to complete professional development courses.

The incident, which occurred in late 2016 was reported to the board in January 2017, “after Tannoury was reprimanded from the hospital,” USA Today noted. Disciplinary action against Tannoury’s medical license was announced by the board on Monday, nearly five years after the incident. The Daily Beast reported that the medical lapse led to the board concluding Tannoury “engaged in conduct that undermines the public confidence in the integrity of the medical profession.”

The president of the Society for Patient Centered Orthopedics criticized Tannoury’s conduct as “deplorable” saying the reprimand he received was “far too light.”
“That’s just the proverbial slap on the wrist,” Dr. James Rickert, an orthopedic surgeon from Indiana, told the Globe. “I can’t believe that if that was a board composed mostly of patients that they wouldn’t have had a much harsher penalty.”

Tannoury, 54, has been the head of spinal surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine, which is affiliated with BMC, since 2006.

(the operation, which was successful, had been performed in his absence by a chief resident)

https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2021/10/surgeon-missed-emergency-surgery-because-he-had-to-eat-first-then-fell-asleep-and-didnt-return-til-the-next-day.html

[tulipsandroses]

1. What did he have? A liquid lunch?

Sounds really odd.

[wryter2000]

2. Of course, this is terrible

But something is odd here. Why was a spine surgeon doing an ankle? Not that he can't, but why wouldn't someone else do it?

He was going to do it for someone in the ED. He must have been on call. He might not have eaten or slept for over 24 hours. It was probably appropriate for him to eat first, if so. An ankle surgery is probably not life-threatening, and I'd prefer my surgeon to have steady hands.

My guess...the hospital was trying to save money by not admitting the patient until a regular surgery could be performed. This was pre-COVID, so there wouldn't have been a lack of beds.

Doesn't excuse him, but it does make me go hmmm.