Doctors Ignoring Emergency Care for 4-Year-Old Child... Prosecution Indicts 5

Emergency After Tonsillectomy... Missed Golden Time
Proper Management Lacking Despite Risk of Complications

Doctors who refused emergency treatment and falsified medical records for a 4-year-old child who fell into a brain-dead state and died after undergoing tonsillectomy surgery have been brought to trial.

The Food and Drug Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Park Hye-young) on the 28th indicted five doctors, including otolaryngology specialist Dr. A (39) at Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital, who performed the tonsillectomy on the victim Kim (aged 4 at the time of death in 2020), without detention on charges of professional negligence resulting in death and violation of the Medical Service Act. The corporation of Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital was also brought to trial on charges of violating the Emergency Medical Service Act.

According to the prosecution, Kim, who underwent surgery on October 4, 2019, experienced bleeding during the recovery process. Dr. A, unable to locate the exact bleeding site, re-anesthetized the patient and extensively cauterized the affected area, increasing the risk of additional complications. However, Dr. A did not record the extensive cauterization in the medical records. Despite the need for intensive care due to severe pain and dehydration, Dr. A discharged the 4-year-old child after scheduling only an outpatient appointment two weeks later, without explaining the exact condition, precautions, or emergency response measures to the parents.

This photo is not related to the article content (Source: Yonhap News).

Kim, who weighed 18 kg before surgery, had deteriorated to 16 kg by the day after discharge, October 7. He was immediately admitted to another hospital in Busan but began coughing up blood at 1:45 a.m. on October 9. At the time of the hemoptysis, Dr. B (56), a diagnostic laboratory medicine specialist on night duty, left his post and delegated his duties to Dr. C (42), a junior colleague from another hospital. Dr. B made the transfer decision after receiving the victim’s condition via phone from the night duty nurse. Dr. C, who is also an emergency medicine specialist, was investigated for failing to provide appropriate emergency care.

At around 1:51 a.m., the 119 emergency medical team arrived and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but Kim was already in cardiac arrest due to brain damage. While transporting the victim, the fire department made two emergency medical requests to Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital. However, Dr. D (42), the pediatric emergency room physician on duty, refused admission, citing another patient undergoing CPR.

The prosecution determined that, according to the Korean Triage and Acuity Scale (KTAS) used at the hospital at the time, there were no patients requiring resuscitation. Kim was transferred to another university hospital about 20 km away from Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital but never regained consciousness and received life-sustaining treatment until his death on March 11 of the following year.

The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office took over the case from the Ulsan District Prosecutors' Office in February this year and conducted supplementary investigations. During this process, it was confirmed that Dr. E (29), an otolaryngology resident responsible for Kim, accessed the medical records system using another on-duty doctor's ID and falsified medical records. A prosecution official pointed out, "Refusal of emergency medical care is not simply a recent issue. The implementation of priority principles was not followed because emergency medical care for critically ill patients depended on the goodwill of junior residents. It was difficult for the patient’s family to know whether the refusal of emergency medical care was justified."

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