A 29-year-old Hong Kong man died of misadventure linked to a rare complication following a gastroscopy at a public hospital two years ago, a death inquest has found.
The Coroner’s Court on Friday ruled that Lui Pak-to died of cerebral oedema, or brain swelling, triggered by the procedure at Queen Mary Hospital on February 29, 2024.
Coroner Raymund Chow Chi-wei cited expert evidence indicating it was undesirable that Lui had to wait four hours and 40 minutes for a brain scan after suffering a seizure that afternoon.
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However, Chow said Lui’s condition deteriorated too rapidly for the hospital to arrange hyperbaric oxygen therapy – a treatment involving pure oxygen in a pressurised chamber – at another institution.
He also noted that the complication was so rare that implementing preventive measures for every patient would be impractical.
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No recommendations were made to the Hospital Authority regarding the case.