In a significant disciplinary action, a cardiac surgeon in Ningbo has been permanently barred from medical practice after a devastating surgical incident resulted in the death of a young child. The Zhejiang provincial health authorities confirmed the revocation on Thursday following an exhaustive investigation into the November tragedy.
The case involved a pediatric patient surnamed Xu who underwent cardiac surgery at Women and Children’s Hospital of Ningbo University on November 14, 2025. The procedure ended tragically when the child succumbed to complications during the operation.
A specially convened investigative panel comprising randomly selected medical experts conducted a thorough review of the case. Their investigation, which included a notarized medical appraisal, identified multiple critical failures in the surgical process. The team determined that inadequate preoperative assessment, questionable timing of the intervention, inappropriate surgical approach selection, and technical errors during the procedure collectively contributed to the fatal outcome.
The probe acknowledged that certain techniques questioned by online commentators, including the decision to leave the pericardium incision unsutured, actually conformed to standard pediatric cardiac surgery protocols. However, the overall surgical management was deemed severely deficient.
Authorities classified the incident as a Level 1 medical accident—the most severe categorization—holding the hospital primarily responsible while acknowledging the child’s complex cardiac condition as a contributing factor.
Disciplinary measures extended beyond the chief surgeon (surnamed Chen), who was additionally removed as head of anesthesiology. A pediatric intensive care physician received a six-month practice suspension, while hospital leadership including the president and vice-president faced removal or penalties. The institution itself was fined and mandated to implement comprehensive corrective measures.
Local public security bureaus have initiated formal investigations into the case. Health authorities expressed profound regret over the incident and extended formal apologies to the bereaved family, pledging enhanced medical oversight and quality improvement initiatives to prevent similar tragedies.
