Six-year-old child at the children's hospital experiences sudden cardiac arrest after endotracheal tube dislodgement from the ventilator.

The Hong Kong Children’s Hospital has announced an incident involving a patient whose ventilator tube temporarily detached, leading to cardiac arrest. The Hospital Authority will establish a root cause analysis committee to conduct a detailed investigation from various angles.

A 6-year-old boy, due to a rare disease, was admitted to the children’s hospital on December 24 last year. The patient underwent a procedure requiring general anesthesia on March 25 this year. The procedure was completed successfully, and the patient was subsequently transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit for monitoring as planned. The patient still required intubation and connection to a ventilator for supportive treatment. Medical staff sedated the patient with medication, while the patient remained conscious.

At 7:29 AM on March 26, a nurse discovered that the patient had suffered a cardiac arrest, and medical staff immediately performed emergency resuscitation. At the same time, medical personnel found that the connection of the patient’s endotracheal tube had come loose and promptly reconnected the tube. After resuscitation, the patient regained a heartbeat at 7:36 AM. The medical staff then immediately informed the patient’s parents about the incident and the patient’s condition. The hospital later reviewed the records of the patient’s clinical monitoring equipment, which indicated that the patient had experienced cardiac arrest starting at 7:20 AM.

The patient subsequently experienced seizures, which have been controlled following treatment with antiepileptic medication. The hospital conducted preliminary neurological examinations on the patient and found no abnormalities. The patient is currently continuing to receive intensive care, including ventilator support and neuroprotective measures. His heart rate and blood pressure are stable, and he is under close clinical monitoring in the pediatric intensive care unit.

The hospital is very concerned about the incident and has met with the patient’s parents to explain the situation, promising to continue providing the necessary assistance. The hospital has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Headquarters through the early incident reporting system and has taken immediate measures to enhance monitoring of patients requiring ventilator support in the pediatric intensive care unit.

The Hospital Authority will establish a root cause analysis committee to conduct a detailed investigation into the incident from various aspects, including but not limited to the clinical management and support of the patient, as well as the operational procedures of medical equipment and consumables.