Hong Kong- The family of a 17-year-old boy claims their son fell into in a vegetative state after a blunder at a Chinese mainland hospital, a news report said Thursday. Tsang Chun-wah was taken to hospital in Shenzhen after becoming ill and vomiting while on family trip to the border city in the week running up to the long Easter weekend, said the South China Morning Post.
His parents told Hong Kong newspapers his condition seemed to improve after two days of treatment, but then rapidly deteriorated after he was placed on an intravenous drip last Thursday.
They claim the teenager's face turned black and patches of red spots appeared on his body shortly after the drip was administered.
The Sha Jing People's Hospital confirmed the teenager began having difficulty breathing and at one point his heartbeat stopped.
The following day, doctors who conducted a brain operation to deal with a build-up cerebro-spinal fluid which had caused severe swelling, found his brain stem to be dead and confirmed he was in a vegetative state.
The family suspect the medicine in the drip caused an allergic reaction and have accused the hospital of conducting surgery with unsterile equipment.
The hospital has denied the allegation saying a skin test had been done on the teenager to test for a possible allergy to the medication.
Samples of the drip medication were sent for testing and Shenzhen's vice-mayor threatened harsh punishment if negligence was proved, said the post.
