Henan: 4-Year-Old Girl Undergoes Surgery on Right Eye, Left Eye Also Operated On

Minimally invasive surgery is simplifying complex medical procedures, and in a few decades, it is expected to replace traditional surgery. (Dajiyuan Image Library)

October 24, 2024 — A 4-year-old girl from Xinzheng, Henan Province, recently underwent surgery at a local public hospital to remove a cyst the size of a soybean from her right eye. However, after the surgery, her parents discovered that her left eye had also been operated on. The family suspects that the doctor may have confused the eyes and performed the surgery on the wrong one.

According to Elephant News, the girl's father, Mr. Zhang, explained that on October 16, he took his daughter to Xinzheng Public People's Hospital for the removal of the cyst from her right eye. After the surgery, he noticed that both of her eyes were bandaged. When he questioned the doctor, he was told that after completing the right eye surgery, the doctor found a cyst in her left eye as well and decided to remove it. However, the doctor had not informed Mr. Zhang about any issue with the left eye prior to the surgery, even though Mr. Zhang had been waiting right outside the operating room.

Mr. Zhang was shocked by this development. He said that no examinations had been done on the left eye from the time of hospitalization until the surgery, and they had not seen any cyst in the left eye. "Even if they found a cyst in the left eye during the operation, they should have informed us. They removed it without telling us," he stated, adding that no cyst from the left eye was shown to them after the surgery.

Mr. Zhang suspects that the doctor may have mistakenly operated on the wrong eye, saying, "They might have confused the left and right eyes and performed surgery on the wrong one."

In response, hospital staff claimed that video surveillance footage confirmed there was no mistake in the surgical site. However, Mr. Zhang's family argues that there was a light above the hospital bed that obstructed the view, making it impossible to clearly see the doctor's actions during the surgery.

The hospital staff explained that the medical team discovered a cyst in the left eye during the procedure and suggested that the doctor may have acted out of goodwill but acknowledged a communication issue.

The incident has sparked public concern and debate over medical safety and the professional ethics of doctors. On October 23, the topic "4-Year-Old Girl Has Surgery on Right Eye but Left Eye is Also Operated On" became a trending topic on Weibo.

Many netizens commented: "Doctors don't perform surgeries for free, and the two eyes aren't even close to each other to make a 'mistake.' Also, if they found something in the other eye, the assistant would have informed the family immediately." Another added, "If there's a cyst in the left eye, why not show the evidence?" and "Even if they discovered something in the left eye, they need the family's consent for surgery."

According to the Tianyancha App, the Xinzheng Public People's Hospital involved in the incident is operated by the Xinzheng City Health Commission, with Wang Zhongzhen as its legal representative. Risk information shows that in September this year, the hospital was fined 12,000 yuan by the Chinese Health Commission for failing to implement medical quality and safety management. Additionally, the hospital is involved in multiple lawsuits, most of which pertain to medical malpractice and disputes over the right to life, health, and bodily integrity.

Edited by: Lin Congwen