Surgeon performs wrong-side surgery

PROVIDENCE -- Health authorities are investigating how a surgeon accidentally operated on the wrong knee of a patient at The Miriam Hospital in Providence.

The hospital is part of the Lifespan medical network that was fined $50,000 last year and reprimanded for three mistaken surgeries at another of its facilities, Rhode Island Hospital.

Miriam officials said the latest incident happened Friday when a surgeon operated on a patient's knee. When the operation was complete, the surgeon realized the operation was performed on the wrong leg and repeated the procedure on the correct knee.

The hospital did not identify the surgeon or patient. In a written statement, Miriam officials said the patient was "doing well."

The state Department of Health has sent a team to investigate.