Doctor Performs Surgery on Wrong Newborn Baby

A Tennessee couple is outraged after a doctor mistakenly performed tongue-clipping surgery on their son after mixing him up with another baby.

Not long after baby Nate was born at University Medical Center in Lebanon, he went for what was supposed to be a routine physical. A few hours later, he was brought back to his parents.

"At that point the nurse started to mention the procedure they had done," his mom, Jennifer Melton, told WTVF.

They were confused. The nurse explained that surgeons had cut the flap of skin beneath Nate's tongue. The little boy did not need the procedure, which had been intended for another child.

"Essentially they took our child who was healthy from the room and cut his mouth," Jennifer said. "At that point I began to cry hysterically."

The family's attorney called the mistake "recklessness." 

"There is no excuse on operating on the wrong baby, none," Clint Kelly told WTVF.

The doctor who performed the procedure reportedly admitted his mistake, writing in a progress report: "I had asked for the wrong infant. I had likely performed the procedure on an infant different than the one I intended to ... and I admitted my mistake and apologized."

The family is now concerned about how little Nate will develop as he grows.

"We don't know if the child will have speech problems or eating problems," Kelly said.

University Medical Center declined to comment, citing federal privacy regulations.

"However, we can confirm that we take seriously any concerns brought to our attention, and those matters are reviewed pursuant to the hospital’s medical staff by-laws," it said in a statement provided to INSIDE EDITION. "If made aware of a concern, we promptly seek to address it and take action as appropriate to prevent any future concerns."