According to a report by Japan's Mainichi Broadcasting Corporation (MBS), a press conference was held by the Affiliated Hospital of Kyoto University School of Medicine on August 7 local time, to apologize for a medical accident. At the end of last month, a patient who underwent brain tumor surgery had normal brain tissue accidentally removed. The patient is currently unable to breathe independently and is in critical condition.
According to the hospital, in this incident, a male surgeon in his 40s performed a craniotomy on a female patient in her 50s. The original purpose of the surgery was to remove a approximately 3-centimeter benign tumor suspected to be a meningioma. However, the surgeon mistakenly removed normal tissue that did not contain any tumors.
During the surgery, microscopic examination once indicated that it was not a tumor. However, the chief surgeon mistakenly believed that only marginal tissue had been removed, and therefore no tumor was present, and proceeded with the resection procedure.
After the surgery, the patient's consciousness and breathing did not recover. After an MRI examination at the hospital, it was found that the tumor remained in the body. The patient had extensive damage to the right cerebellar tonsil and the lateral to dorsal part of the brainstem, where the respiratory center is located.
The hospital said that before the surgery, the patient only had symptoms of dizziness and unsteady walking, and could live a normal life. After the surgery, the patient lost the ability to breathe on its own and had to rely on a ventilator to maintain life. The limbs were also unable to move. It is speculated that the key nerve cells responsible for transmitting breathing commands were damaged.
Kyoto University Hospital's Dean, Takao Takahashi, apologized at a press conference by saying, "We have caused great distress and worry to the patients and their families. I sincerely apologize for this. I am very sorry."
The hospital stated: "We recognize the severity of this matter and will do our utmost to treat the patient. We will conduct an independent investigation to determine the cause of the accident, disclose information truthfully, fulfill our social responsibilities, and proceed with fair and honest handling of the subsequent matters."
Currently, the hospital has reported this matter to the state, Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, and the police. Subsequently, it will be investigated by external committee members.
