April 6 trial for doctors accused of bungling cataract operations

The trial of the two doctors at a Nicosia hospital who were charged after one of their patients died and seven others suffered serious complications following a cataract surgery has been set for April 6.

The two doctors face eight misdemeanour charges, one for each patient, for negligent and reckless acts during medical and surgical procedures as all eight patients were infected with the same antibiotic resistant bacteria in their operated eyes. The operations were carried out in October 2020.

They will be called to answer the charges at the Nicosia district court during the trial which is set to begin on April 6.

An investigation, which lasted over a year, was launched at the Nicosia hospital after the group of patients, aged 60 to 80 years old were infected with pseudomonas endophthalmitis infection, an antibiotic resistant bacteria that lives in the back of the eye and damages the nerve tissue right after a cataract surgery at the hospital.

Five of the patients who underwent the cataract surgery each had to have one of their eyes removed after corrective procedures to prevent the infection from spreading to the brain.

One of the patients died, according to a relative who told media that after the corrective surgery, the patient had to return to the hospital.

Police said the suspects were charged in writing on February 3 this year, following instructions by attorney-general Giorgos Savvides.

According to the article in the criminal code on which they are charged, whoever “acts in a reckless, hasty or negligent manner while performing a medical or surgical procedure, with the potential to endanger human life or cause bodily harm,” is guilty of a misdemeanour.