An 18-year-old woman is in critical condition after an acidic substance was allegedly administered instead of an anaesthetic during nose surgery at a private hospital in Israel. Police have launched an investigation into suspected negligence after the woman suffered severe burns to her face and respiratory system during the procedure on Friday. What Happened During The Surgery? The teenager had previously been injured in an accident on Highway 35 in southern Israel in 2024. She was admitted to the private hospital on Friday morning for a nose surgery. According to allegations being investigated by police, the anaesthesiologist confused two substances and administered an acidic substance instead of the anaesthetic drug. The error reportedly caused severe burns to the woman's face and respiratory system. The surgeon eventually noticed what was happening and stopped the procedure. A medical team was called into the operating room and the woman was intubated, with a breathing tube inserted into her windpipe. She was then sedated and placed on a ventilator. She was subsequently transferred to Tel Aviv's Sourasky Medical Center, where she was admitted to the intensive care unit. Also read: UK Woman Dies After Sudden Abdominal Pain Following Increase In Her Mounjaro DoseChemical Injuries In The Respiratory SystemThe respiratory system is particularly vulnerable to chemical injuries. Damage to the airway can cause severe inflammation and swelling, making it difficult for a person to breathe. This is why doctors may need to secure the airway quickly through intubation and use a ventilator to support breathing while the injury is tended to. In this case, the damage was serious enough to require another emergency operation. On Saturday evening, an expanded team of around 10 doctors at Sourasky Medical Center performed surgery to treat severe damage to her windpipe. The young woman remained sedated in the intensive care unit after the procedure. More updates about her well-being are being awaited. Also read: UK Woman Becomes World-First To Receive Experimental Cell Therapy For Ovarian CancerPolice Investigate Medical Negligence The local police are now investigating the incident, particularly how the alleged mix-up of the acidic substance and anaesthetic drug occurred. The most crucial factor to investigate in this case is whether it was an unavoidable error or gross medical negligence. The incident has also raised concerns about careful identification and handling of medication and substance during critical surgeries surgery. Anaesthesia involves the administration of multiple drugs and substances, making accurate identification and handling critical to patient safety. The Israeli Health Ministry said it had not been notified about the incident. “According to an inquiry conducted by the ministry, the incident was not reported to the Health Ministry,” the ministry said in a statement. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not yet established who was responsible for the alleged error or whether any medico-criminal charges will follow. For now, the 18-year-old remains in intensive care as doctors continue treating the severe injuries to her airway and respiratory system.