A Hole Formed During Nose Surgery, but the Doctor Hid It... Intentional Omission in Medical Records as Well

[Asia Economy Reporter Jumi Lee] A doctor who concealed from a patient the fact that complications occurred after a nose surgery was sentenced to a prison term with a suspended sentence.

On the 31st, according to the legal community, the Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 5 (Judge Park Junbeom) sentenced A (50), who was indicted on charges of professional negligence causing injury and violation of the Medical Service Act, to 6 months in prison with a 2-year suspension and a fine of 5 million won.

The court stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "Due to the defendant's negligence, the victim has already suffered severe physical and mental pain, and it also hindered the victim from receiving proper treatment at another hospital. However, considering that the defendant honestly admitted his mistake from the investigation process and showed remorse, and that he paid a settlement amount of 50 million won and reached an agreement with the victim's side."

A was prosecuted for hiding complications that occurred while performing septoplasty and submucosal resection of the inferior turbinate on B (18, female) at an otolaryngology clinic he operated in Seo-gu, Daejeon in 2016.

A knew that a perforation (hole) had formed around B's surgical site after the surgery, but did not inform B, who visited the hospital about 10 times complaining of discomfort afterward, nor did he provide appropriate treatment.

As a result, B missed the treatment period and suffered disabilities in the nose area and saddle nose deformity due to the perforation. It was also investigated that A did not record this fact in the patient's medical records.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.