A 16-year-old boy died in June last year due to medical malpractice at a Japanese Red Cross hospital here, the hospital administration announced while offering an apology on June 17.
According to the Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center Nagoya Daini Hospital in Nagoya's Showa Ward, the teen came to the emergency room twice on May 28, 2023, complaining of abdominal pain and diarrhea. Different medical interns diagnosed him with acute gastroenteritis both times, and sent him home with advice to visit his local clinic.
The high school student went to a clinic on May 29, where it was determined that he required urgent care, and he returned to the hospital. He was admitted with suspected Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMA syndrome), which causes digestive tract issues. He suffered from vomiting and dehydration, and on May 30 went into cardio-respiratory arrest. The boy died on June 15 from an intestinal obstruction caused by SMA syndrome and severe dehydration.