Tragic Medical Error: 10-Year-Old Chinese Boy Loses Digestive Organs After Routine Surgery Gone Wrong

A 10-year-old boy in eastern China now requires permanent intravenous nutrition following a devastating surgical error that has captured widespread attention across Chinese social media platforms.

The child, identified only as Xiaoye, experienced catastrophic complications during what was meant to be a routine operation, resulting in the removal of most of his digestive system.

Xiaoye was taken to Chengwu County People's Hospital in Shandong province on October 26, 2023, after experiencing severe abdominal pain when a classmate accidentally collided with his stomach at school. During examination, medical staff discovered an abdominal mass and recommended laparoscopic surgery, a typically minimally invasive procedure, according to reports from Red Star News.

Complications arose immediately as the surgery began in the afternoon. What should have been a straightforward procedure extended into a 14-hour ordeal that resulted in the removal of nearly all of Xiaoye's digestive organs. His mother, Yue, reported that throughout the operation, doctors repeatedly emerged to request additional consent forms, citing bleeding complications and the need to convert to an open laparotomy. The family ultimately signed four separate consent forms during the prolonged procedure.

Following the surgery, Xiaoye has become completely dependent on intravenous nutrition. He has experienced significant weight loss and, according to his mother, has withdrawn emotionally, spending most of his time confined to his hospital bed.

Yue explained that shortly after the operation began, surgeons claimed an emergency laparotomy was necessary due to excessive bleeding. When the family suggested transferring Xiaoye to a more specialized facility, doctors insisted he was medically unstable for transport.

The surgical team later revealed discovering a substantial pancreatic tumor, which they claimed necessitated removal of both the pancreas and duodenum.

According to Yue, medical staff pressured the family for surgical consent, suggesting they might face accusations of obstructing necessary medical treatment if they refused. In addition to removing the pancreas and duodenum, surgeons also excised portions of the small intestine, the entire gallbladder, and approximately two-thirds of his stomach, leaving just 50 centimeters of colon intact.

A December 2023 third-party forensic investigation identified serious medical errors in the hospital's treatment approach, directly linking these mistakes to Xiaoye's condition. In May, the Chengwu County Health Department launched an official investigation, revealing failures in inter-departmental consultation prior to the surgery.

The hospital provided 200,000 yuan (approximately Rs 24,77,340) in compensation to the family, an amount Yue describes as wholly inadequate to address her son's ongoing and lifelong medical needs.