Man paralysed after surgeon operates on wrong part of spine
Monday 3 August 2026 · 2 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Health and Disability Commissioner, Waikato Times, ACC
A man with spina bifida has been left paralysed after a neurosurgeon operated on the wrong vertebra during surgery at Waikato Hospital. The error resulted in a severed spinal cord, leaving the patient requiring a wheelchair. The incident was detailed in a Health and Disability Commission decision.