Hong Kong hospital faces scrutiny after surgical blunder causes elderly woman’s death (opens original article in a new tab)

An 85-year-old woman in Hong Kong died after a surgeon mistakenly created a stoma on her stomach instead of her colon, with investigators citing confirmation bias and systemic failures in patient care and communication.

• An 85-year-old woman died after a surgeon mistakenly operated on the wrong organ at Tseung Kwan O Hospital in Hong Kong
• The error was attributed to confirmation bias, with the surgeon failing to verify anatomical structures during the procedure
• Investigation found communication failures and lack of experience among rehabilitation staff contributed to delayed recognition of the mistake
• Hospital officials accepted recommendations for reforms including improved clinical governance and specialist stoma care oversight