Melbourne grandmother suffers irreversible genital injury after hospital mix-up

Debra Buchanan, a former dental nurse, entered the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital at Sunshine Hospital for a scheduled removal of a cancerous skin tag on January 23. Hospital staff confused her with another patient named Deborah, leading surgeons to excise a substantial part of her external genitalia rather than the intended tissue. After regaining consciousness, Buchanan noticed severe bleeding and was told the bleeding was normal, despite her protests.

She contacted her husband, learned the operation was wrong, and was released with little clarification. Western Health’s chief operating officer, John Ferraro, emphasized a commitment to safe, high-quality care and outlined a statutory duty of candour response. Medical negligence lawyer Erin Monsalve Fear highlighted the lack of proper consent as a critical failure.