Went to treat his nose — lost an eye: doctor placed under suspicion after the operation
Medical error or negligence? Patient lost vision after the procedure
In Kyiv, law enforcement officers have notified an otolaryngologist of suspicion after an incident in which a patient lost vision in one eye. This was reported by the capital’s police on 19 March 2026.
The doctor’s actions have been qualified under Part 1 of Article 140 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — improper performance of professional duties due to negligent attitude, which caused grave consequences. This article provides for up to two years of imprisonment.
As established by investigators of the Dniprovskyi Police Department, the incident occurred in one of the private medical centers during a scheduled surgical intervention — correction of the nasal septum and removal of a cyst from a sinus. According to the investigation, during the operation the doctor caused a fracture of a thin bone that separates the nasal cavity from the orbit. Fragments damaged the optic nerve, as a result of which a 56-year-old man completely lost vision in one eye. The forensic medical examination conclusion confirmed a direct causal link between the doctor’s actions and the severe consequences for the patient’s health.
The suspicion was announced to the man by investigators under the procedural guidance of the Dniprovskyi District Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv. In addition to imprisonment, the article’s sanction provides for a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in medical activities for up to five years. It is currently known that the suspect resigned from the medical institution, and the pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
Reminder: previously we wrote:
- Failed to recognize a heart attack: a psychiatrist was notified of suspicion after the death of a 57-year-old patient, – media
- In Donetsk region, a newborn became disabled due to a doctor’s negligence
- In Odesa, an anesthesiologist will be tried for the death of a patient during surgery
- “The fatal visit”: in Mykolaiv, a regional hospital doctor will be tried who “did not notice” the patient’s critical condition
- According to the protocol – an operation, in fact – death: what happened at the Kyiv perinatal center

