By KEIICHIRO SHIMADA/ Staff Writer
June 18, 2024 at 13:39 JST
Koji Sato, director of the Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center Nagoya Daini Hospital, speaks at a news conference in Nagoya on June 17. (Keiichiro Shimada)
NAGOYA—A hospital here has apologized for an intern's failure to correctly diagnose the dire condition of a high school student, who died in June last year after not receiving the necessary emergency treatment.
The patient, who was suffering from superior mesenteric artery syndrome, a gastro-vascular disorder, died after a trainee doctor misdiagnosed him with acute gastroenteritis, the Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center Nagoya Daini Hospital announced June 17.
“We are extremely sorry that we could not save the life of a patient with a bright future,” Koji Sato, hospital director, told a news conference. “Our entire staff will work together to prevent a recurrence and restore trust in the hospital.”
According to the hospital, the high school student, who was 16 years old, visited the emergency room in the morning of May 28, 2023, after complaining of abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms.
The intern who examined the student found a dilation of the stomach on computed tomography images but did not notice abnormal values indicating progression of dehydration.
The trainee diagnosed the student as having acute gastroenteritis, prescribed intestinal drugs and sent him home.
When the student returned in the afternoon of the same day, another intern saw him, detected no new symptoms and told him he was free to return home.
The intern did not consult with a senior doctor because the hospital has no requirement on the matter.
When the student visited the hospital the following day, he was diagnosed with a suspected case of superior mesenteric artery syndrome and was hospitalized.
However, the student went into shock. He died early on June 15, 2023, after not receiving gastric decompression, a procedure required for his bowel obstruction symptoms.
In response to a complaint from the bereaved family, the hospital has been conducting a “medical accident investigation” stipulated under the Medical Care Law.
Sato on June 17 outlined measures to prevent a recurrence, including the formulation of an in-hospital regulation requiring trainee doctors’ consultations with senior doctors.
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