Overview

• The Andalusian High Court has finalized a ruling requiring the Servicio Andaluz de Salud (SAS) to compensate a patient with €250,000 plus legal interest for harm caused by a misdiagnosed sarcoma.
• The patient underwent a highly invasive surgery in December 2017, including the removal of her quadriceps, based on an incorrect malignancy diagnosis that was later disproven by post-surgical biopsies.
• The court highlighted failures in diagnostic certainty and informed consent, noting the patient was not adequately informed about the inconclusive nature of pre-surgery tests or the experimental nature of her chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
• The misdiagnosis and subsequent treatment left the woman with permanent physical disabilities, including chronic pain and disfigurement, as well as severe psychological trauma.
• This ruling overturns a 2021 judgment that absolved SAS of liability, emphasizing the disproportionate damage caused by the medical intervention and the lack of proper communication with the patient.