Tseung Kwan O Hospital in Hong Kong releases a cause analysis report into a fatal surgery in February, following an elderly woman’s death. The incident involves an 85-year-old woman with obstructive sigmoid colon cancer. According to the report, the operation intended for the patient results in the surgeon mistakenly working on the wrong organ, after which the patient dies about three weeks later, on the timeline reported by multiple outlets.
The hospital’s investigation examines how the error occurred. The South China Morning Post reports that the inquiry finds the surgeon displayed “confirmation bias” in identifying anatomical structures in the abdominal cavity, which contributed to the misidentification during the procedure. The report also triggers external criticism. The South China Morning Post says a former lawmaker calls for the surgeon’s dismissal, while The Independent notes broader scrutiny of the hospital after the death.
Both reports characterize the case as a serious deviation from expected surgical conduct and highlight ongoing examination of clinical decision-making and accountability. The hospital is conducting the probe and public reporting related to the findings.
