Hong Kong police looking into case of girl, 4, who had cardiac arrest while receiving stitches
- Hospital Authority says it has invited experts to review the event and arranged genetic sequencing for child to identify if cardiac arrest was related to any rare diseases
- Police looking into incident with person who lodged report, spokesman says
The Hospital Authority said on Friday night that it had invited experts to review the event and arranged genetic sequencing for the child to identify if the cardiac arrest was related to any rare diseases.
A source familiar with the matter said an investigation into a report to police of a possible medical blunder at a hospital in Tsuen Wan was continuing.
Responding to Post inquiries, a police spokesman confirmed the report, saying officers were looking into the matter.
“Police are now looking into the incident with the person who lodged a report. If the need arises, we will make inquiries and conduct an investigation on the hospital,” the spokesman said.
The girl was found unconscious after the procedure, with her heart only starting after 18 minutes of first aid. She is now on a ventilator and a variety of drugs.
The girl’s father has reportedly accused medical staff of pressing his daughter’s face downwards on a pillow during the procedure, possibly causing suffocation.
In a statement on Friday night, the authority said records showed a nurse from Yan Chai Hospital assessed the girl’s wound before the suturing procedure, while a patient care assistant settled and stabilised her.
“The patient underwent wound suturing in a prone position with her head facing right,” the statement said.
It said the Kowloon West hospital group would fully cooperate with police in the investigation.
It added the group was very concerned about the “rare” event, and had invited paediatric and accident and emergency experts to conduct a review, including on the workflow of the suturing procedure.
The girl is being treated in the paediatric intensive care unit at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung.
“The clinical team will continue to monitor the patient’s condition and make every effort to provide appropriate treatment to the patient,” the authority said.
Dr Desmond Nguyen, deputy chief executive of Kowloon West hospitals, said on Wednesday evening that the incident was “rare” and that he had asked medical experts to find out why the girl’s heart had stopped after a stitching procedure at the back of her head.
Dr Ian Cheung, chief executive of Yan Chai Hospital, added that “no procedural error has been identified yet”.
The girl was first brought to the hospital on Saturday evening with a 2cm (0.8-inch) cut at the back of her head and a slight fever.
