A WOMAN had the wrong part of her lung removed during a blundered operation at Basildon Hospital’s specialist heart centre.

Urgent investigations have been launched at Basildon, and Broomfield Hospital, where she was referred from, into how the serious mistake happened.

The woman, who survived and has not been named, should have had the top part of one of her lungs removed.

However, surgeons at the cardiothoracic centre removed an area from the bottom part of the lung which should not have been touched.

The mistake classed as “wrong site surgery” is being investigated as a “never event” - one of 25 major incidents deemed inexcusable within a hospital, according to the Department of Health.

A Basildon Hospital source, who would not be named, said: “It appears that the medical notes that came with the patient from Broomfield had been filled out incorrectly and showed the wrong area of lung to be operated on. Afterwards Broomfield said that was the wrong area. It appears that the mistake was made at Broomfield, but the investigation will have to look at whether this should have been picked up at Basildon.”

Dr Steve Morgan, the hospital trust’s medical director, said: “In December there was an incident of wrong site surgery. External reviews are taking place into that serious incident."