Doctor wrongly connected asthma patient’s respiratory tube to stomach in Hong Kong hospital, family tells death inquest
- Yau Ming-poon, 74, who died in Tuen Mun Hospital, also had a cardiac arrest two days before his death after his air tube was disconnected from the respirator, Coroner’s Court told
- Inquest looking into connection between Yau’s death and the two hospital blunders, which took place during the last three days of his life
The family of an elderly asthma patient who died nearly four years ago in a Hong Kong hospital told an inquest the doctor in charge had wrongly connected his respiratory tube to his stomach.
The inquiry at West Kowloon Court on Friday also heard that Yau Ming-poon, 74, who died in Tuen Mun Hospital on May 16, 2016, had a cardiac arrest two days before his death after his air tube was disconnected from the respirator.
The court was looking into the connection between Yau’s death and the two hospital blunders, which took place during the last three days of his life.
In court, Yau’s family criticised hospital workers for hiding the causes of the incidents, and said staff had been inattentive to changes in the patient’s condition during his stay.
They also expressed discontent over the redaction of some parts of Yau’s medical records given to them before the hearing.
Eldest daughter Tessa Yau Yuk-kam said her father was sent to the hospital’s intensive care unit after he started wheezing in his sleep late at night on May 12, 2016. The next day, medical staff reassured the family that Yau’s condition remained stable and that he was expected to be released in a few days.