Man fears loss of ability to walk after extended hospital stay

A man in Sweden fears he may permanently lose his ability to walk unaided when a hospital "lost track" of him after he was admitted for surgery to repair a foot injury.

John Bruhne was admitted to the Linköping University Hospital after he'd broken his foot while skateboarding. The Local reported the 21-year-old was told his stay would be a "couple of days". That "couple of days" turned into many weeks. Sveriges Television Östnytt (translated by Google) reported the man has been in the hospital for six weeks and has had eight operations since he first fractured his ankle. According to media reports, it seems the hospital had "lost track" of him as they moved the patient between several wards; all the while Bruhne was waiting for a doctor's assessment. During his lengthy hospital stay, the 21-year-old man's muscles surrounding the broken bone had begun to rot. An emergency operation was performed with doctors removing three leg muscles. Media reported he needed several follow up surgeries to address both the injury and subsequent complications from the delayed treatment. He now fears this will permanently impact his ability to walk. "Perhaps I will never be able to walk again. Then I think about the sports. That I will never be able to play football or inner-bandy," Bruhn told the media. "It is awful that this type of thing has to happen just to save money." The Linköping University Hospital website says the 600-bed hospital treats "a large number of patients every day with a variety of health care needs." The incident is said to have been reported to governing agencies in accordance to Swedish healthcare law.