Life collapsed in an instant.
On the night of the 14th, MBC’s ‘True Story Expedition’ shared the heartbreaking story of a woman in her 40s and her husband, who has been unconscious for three months after visiting a hospital for elbow surgery.
In January, Wife A, who had no significant pre-existing conditions, entered the operating room with a light heart. However, within a few hours, she was brought back to her family on a stretcher. The medical certificate provided by the staff read “hypoxic brain injury.” Husband Mr. Park’s (pseudonym) life came to a complete standstill that day.
How did A, who walked in perfectly fine, come out as an unconscious patient? What happened inside the operating room during that short time? The CCTV footage obtained by Mr. Park was shocking. The anesthesiologist, after administering the medication, disappeared from the room, leaving the patient behind. Twenty minutes later, even the lead surgeon left. While no medical staff were present to monitor the unconscious patient, A suffered cardiac arrest.
The explanation given by the anesthesiologist to Mr. Park, who was demanding answers, was beyond absurd. He claimed that if there are scheduled surgeries at other hospitals, it is possible to move even during an ongoing procedure. It is known that some small private clinics with limited funding employ these “freelance anesthesiologists.” An anonymous current anesthesiology specialist stated, “Problems occur when one anesthesiologist moves between multiple hospitals in a single day.”
The anesthesiologist, who initially bowed his head and admitted he “failed to follow principles” when meeting Mr. Park, soon changed his tune. He sent a legal notice to Mr. Park claiming he had “faithfully performed the medical treatment.” The lead surgeon also denied responsibility, claiming he “was not aware that the anesthesiologist had left.” While they shifted blame onto each other, the couple has not received a single word of apology. The wife has remained unconscious in a hospital bed for over three months since the accident.
Lawyer Lee In-jae, representing Mr. Park, said, “When an accident happens, the cause must be identified first. However, neither the anesthesiologist nor the orthopedic surgeon is giving a clear explanation.” He added, “How can there be an apology when the cause has not been identified?”
‘True Story Expedition’ is a program that searches for real stories that are even more surprising because they are true in an ever-changing world. It airs every Thursday at 9 PM on MBC.
