10-Year-Old Chinese Boy Loses Vital Digestive Organs As Surgery Turns Tragic

A 10-year-old boy in eastern China is now living on intravenous nutrition after a routine operation went tragically wrong, capturing widespread attention and sympathy on mainland social media. The boy, surnamed Xiaoye, suffered severe complications during surgery that left him without most of his digestive organs.

Xiaoye was admitted to Chengwu County People's Hospital in Shandong province on October 26, 2023, after feeling intense pain when a classmate accidentally bumped into his stomach at school. During a routine examination, doctors found a lump in his abdomen and decided to perform laparoscopic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure, according to Red Star News.

As soon as Xiaoye's surgery began in the afternoon, complications arose, and the operation lasted 14 hours. Almost all of his digestive organs were removed. Xiaoye's mother, Yue, said that doctors repeatedly came out and asked the family to sign consent forms, citing bleeding and the need for a laparotomy. She said they signed a total of four consent forms during the lengthy operation.

After the surgery, Xiaoye is now completely dependent on IV nutrition. He has lost significant weight. Yue said that her son has become quiet and withdrawn, spending most of his time confined to the hospital bed.

Yue said that immediately after the surgery began, doctors stated that a laparotomy was necessary due to severe bleeding. When the family suggested transferring Xiaoye to a better hospital, the doctors said he was unfit for transfer at that time.

Doctors later revealed a large tumour on his pancreas, requiring the removal of both the pancreas and duodenum.

Yue said the doctors pressured the family to consent to the surgery, suggesting they could otherwise face charges of obstructing treatment. In addition to the pancreas and duodenum, doctors also removed part of his small intestine and gallbladder and two-thirds of his stomach, leaving only 50 centimetres of colon.

In December 2023, a third-party forensic report found serious errors in the hospital's treatment, which directly harmed Xiaoye. In May, the Chengwu County Health Department launched an investigation and revealed errors in consultation between departments before the surgery.

The hospital paid the family 200,000 yuan (Rs 24,77,340) in compensation, which Yue said was insufficient to cover their son's long-term medical costs.