Scottish health board inquiry into allegation that surgeon carried out amputation using rusty saw (26 May 2015)

Ayr Hospital in Scotland has launched an investigation after a surgeon allegedly amputated a patient’s leg using a rust saw he found in a cupboard because the local DIY store was closed.

The Daily Mail reports that the surgeon had planned to amputate the elderly man’s leg, but found a metal plate in the limb.

He did not have the correct equipment to perform the procedure and at first a senior colleague suggested buying a saw from DIY store B&Q.

However, as the surgery was taking place after 9pm, the store had already closed. The surgeon then “improvised” and allegedly used a rusty hacksaw, which was found in a cupboard at the hospital, which medical staff estimated would be able to cut through the metal plate in the patient’s leg.

Theatre staff who witnessed the procedure made a report to senior management at Ayr Hospital, who have launched an investigation.


It is reported that the elderly patient had already been anaesthetised when a metal plate was discovered in his limb – and remained unconscious while the operation was halted and the medical team discussed the options.

It is also reported that patient and his family were only told what had allegedly happened some time after the operation.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said the story was “simply incredible” – and “an indescribable way to treat any patient”.

“Despite the UK’s advancement in modern medicine, this episode has all the finesse of improvised surgery on Nelson’s flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar,” said Mr Carlaw.

“l would hope that NHS Ayrshire and Arran thoroughly investigates this as a matter of urgency.”

Ann Gow – interim nurse director for NHS Ayrshire & Arran – has confirmed in a statement that an inquiry is underway.

“NHS Ayrshire & Arran is currently conducting a significant adverse event review into a recent incident within University Hospital Ayr, where standard procedures were not followed.

“The findings of this review and any subsequent recommendations will be shared with clinicians, as well as the family of the patient.”

A spokesman for the health board said:

“He [the patient] was at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, when it was decided he needed a leg amputation and he was taken to Ayr.

“The operating theatre was prepared, he was anaesthetised and the operation began – but it was halted after the surgeon had difficulty cutting further.

”That’s when he discovered he had hit a metal plate that they didn’t know about. So he frantically sought advice from the consultant orthopaedic surgeon, who suggested going to B&Q.

“However, the store was closed because the operation was being carried out after 9pm.

“The saw was sterilised by soaking in some disinfectant solution and the surgeon proceeded to complete the amputation after cutting through the metal plate.

“This should never have happened and I have never come across anything similar in my career.”

The inquiry is expected to focus on why the metal plate was not flagged up before surgery commenced, rather than the “impromptu” method used to carry out the operation.

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