A young man’s life forever changed after what was supposed to be a routine procedure turned into a devastating surgical error at North Hills Passavant Hospital in May 1974. Losing one’s penis during a “routine” urologic or corrective surgery is exceedingly rare. However, similar cases are not unheard of.
That year, 21-year-old Harold Michael was admitted to North Hills Passavant Hospital near Pittsburgh for a surgery intended to correct an undescended testicle. Instead, Michael emerged from the operation without his penis, a catastrophic error attributed to surgeon Walter Nettrour Sr. and the hospital.
Michael’s marriage was just a few weeks away
The timing could not have been worse for Michael. Reports indicate that the procedure was scheduled just weeks before his wedding day, transforming what should have been a joyful time in his life into a traumatic ordeal. The hospital faced not only reputational damage but also legal and financial consequences.
According to court records, Michael filed a negligence suit in March 1976, naming Dr. Walter Nettrour Sr., North Hills Passavant Hospital, and TriRivers Surgical Associates as defendants. The defendants settled out of court.
Although detailed internal hospital records from the era are not readily available, the settlement suggests that the hospital and physician opted to resolve the case rather than proceed to prolonged trial. The case stands out in medical malpractice history due to the severity of the injury.
Other cases of missing privates
More recently, in August 2007, Florida resident Enrique Milla checked into a local hospital for an elective penile-implant procedure intended to treat erectile dysfunction. Within nine days, Milla developed a severe infection that led to gangrene and the amputation of his penis.
He later filed a medical-malpractice lawsuit in 2009, alleging that his anesthesiologist had negligently cleared him for surgery despite his diabetes and high blood pressure. The case went to trial in May 2012, and on May 22 of that year, a jury found in favor of the physician, ruling that the doctor was not responsible for the devastating outcome.
Then, about four years later, a Washington man underwent abdominal surgery to remove a tumor but suffered a series of post-operative complications that left him with permanent penile injuries. His urethra was destroyed, and reconstructive surgeons had to use tissue from his cheek in an attempt to rebuild the damaged organ.
The patient sued for negligence, arguing that his injuries resulted from surgical errors and inadequate postoperative monitoring. In 2017, a Washington jury awarded him $8.5 million in damages, one of the largest such verdicts in the state’s medical-malpractice history.
As far as Michael’s accident, Dr. Nettrour never publicly explained what happened. After settling, Nettour told local news outlet The Vidette in 1979, “It’ a shame about the boy. I don’t want to say any more than that,” because, Nettrour said, his attorney doesn’t want him to talk about the case. Initially, the hospital offered Michael $300,000 (about $1.3 million today) but he turned it down, as even the judge thought that offer was inadequate.
