• Published 00:00 09.01.07
  • Latest update 00:00 09.01.07

Anesthesiologist charged with manslaughter in death of patient

4-year-old Neta-li was hospitalized for a simple optical procedure, was given too much anesthesia and no one noticed until it was too late.

The Assouta Medical Center in Tel Aviv and four of its employees were indicted Tuesday for their involvement in the death of a four-year-old patient in 2005.

The hospital, the optical surgeon and the head of the anesthesiology department were all charged with negligent manslaughter. Anesthesiologist Svetlana Rosso-Lupo was charged with aggravated manslaughter.

Neta-li Borovsky was hospitalized on June 2, 2005 for a simple procedure to correct her vision. According to the charges, the anesthesiologist Rosso-Lupo administered a high dose of the anesthesia drug. The anesthesiologist was supposed to reduce the dosage a few minutes later, but instead she turned down the volume of Borovsky's vital signs monitor and fell asleep.

37 minutes after the operation began, Borovsky's heart stopped due to a lethal dose of anesthesia. Rosso-Lupo never woke up, and the surgeon did not notice that anything was wrong and continued to operate.

A long time elapsed before one of the nurses noticed the visual distress signals on the girl's monitor and realized that the patient's heart had stopped. The nurse immediately woke Rosso-Lupo up, but instead of commencing resuscitation efforts, Rosso-Lupo spent two minutes checking if the monitor was properly fastened.

The doctors were eventually able to get Borovsky's heart to beat, but by then the damage caused to her brain was irreversible.

Borovsky's death was pronounced four days later, and her organs were donated.

According to the prosecution, the hospital had skimped on materials and man hours, thus indirectly causing the death of the girl. In addition, hospital officials were aware of the anesthesiologist's problematic behavior, and yet did nothing about it.

The surgeon, Dr. Haim Stolovitch, is charged with negligent manslaughter for allowing Rosso-Lupo to turn the volume down on the monitor, and for failing to make sure that she was alert. He is also charged with failing begin resuscitation in time.

The head of the anesthesiology department, Adrian Michailka, is charged with allowing the Rosso-Lupo to perform operations despite her known tendency to fall asleep during procedures. The department is also charged with imposing such a heavy work load on its employees that they might fall asleep on the job.

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  • 8. 0 0
    Trade Russo-Lupo for kidnapped soldiers
    • Herbert Kaine
    • 09.01.07
    • 20:33

    "Anesthesiologist" Rosso-Lupo is a medical terrorist. She should be included in any trade for Shalit, Regev, Goldwasser, Arad, etc. Since she murdered a child, she could share a cell with Samir Kuntar and trade recipes

  • 7. 0 0
    To PETERSM
    • Jose Marcio
    • 09.01.07
    • 19:55

    That event of the death of a child is business of people;it`s not subject of animals;it`s shocking and ins`t a thing of a jewish neither of a Christian or a Buddhist-I avoid to mention Islamites-I has shocked myself too who loves a lot two girls;one of 3 years and six months and another of ten months.

  • 6. 0 0
    Re #1 and #4
    • Colin Wright
    • 09.01.07
    • 19:13

    The interesting thing is that 'Guy from New York' said nothing critical about Israel in general in his post. Yet 'PeterSM' took his remarks as criticism of Israel. Apparently nothing that transpires within the borders of that state is subject to critical comment.

  • 5. 0 0
    anestheiiologist
    • nina
    • 09.01.07
    • 18:22

    why arent the owners of Assuta Hospital charged with gross negligence? They are the ones who are directly responsible in this great tragedy. They profit enormously by cutting corners and scheduling such impossible working hours for the staff. They are the ones who should be charged with manslaughter. nina jerusalem

  • 4. 0 0
    GUY from NY.Yes its terrible,criminal& its none of your business
    • PETERSM
    • 09.01.07
    • 18:12

    If you need to feel outraged why not look at medical closed claims reports in the USA. Have you no problems at home to criticise or is it just easier and politically correct to talk down at Israel.?

  • 3. 0 0
    ARE THEY BANNED
    • TOBIA
    • 09.01.07
    • 17:31

    Will they be banned from all hospitals around the world. They deserve everything they get and more

  • 2. 0 0
    And how are Olmert&Co different from her?
    • Absolute Sweden
    • 09.01.07
    • 17:20

    Being anesthesiologist requires years of training ,but any fool could see Olmert "restraint" policy leads to death of Israelis.

  • 1. 0 0
    fell asleep?!
    • Guy From NYC
    • 09.01.07
    • 17:10

    I don't know how she could live with herself after murdering a 4 year old child in such a way. I would never be able to live with myself after something idiotic like that. She deserves what she gets and then some.