In mainland China, another case of patients having their organs removed during medical treatment has surfaced. In Chengwu County, Heze City, Shandong Province, a 10-year-old boy experienced abdominal pain after an accident two years ago. Upon seeking medical attention, he was informed that there was a tumor in his abdominal cavity that required surgery. However, after the operation, multiple organs of the boy were removed, leaving him unable to eat or drink normally. He now relies on long-term intravenous nutrition to survive. Despite two years of efforts, the family has been unable to uncover the truth of what happened.
On October 30, 2023, Red Star News reported that Xiaoye, a fifth-grade elementary school student at the time, was playing during a break when he was bumped in the abdomen by a classmate, causing persistent abdominal pain.
Xiaoye’s mother, Ms. Yue, took him to Chengwu County People’s Hospital for treatment. After a check-up, the doctors informed the family that there was a space-occupying lesion between Xiaoye’s stomach and pancreas, requiring laparoscopic examination and surgery.
Ms. Yue recounted that the surgery lasted nearly 14 hours. During the procedure, the doctors hurriedly came out multiple times to have family members sign documents, claiming that the boy was bleeding heavily and needed open abdominal surgery. They also mentioned a large tumor on the boy’s pancreas, stating that it needed to be removed along with part of the duodenum. Despite the family’s request for a transfer to another hospital, the doctors refused.
Following the surgery, Xiaoye had almost his entire digestive system removed, including the duodenum, pancreas, most of the stomach, and small intestine, among other organs. Since then, the boy has been unable to eat or drink like a normal person, relying on long-term intravenous nutrition.
A judicial appraisal opinion issued by a third-party organization on December 16, 2024, indicated that medical negligence was present in the medical treatment of the patient by the hospital (Chengwu County People’s Hospital). The hospital was overly confident, inadequately prepared before the surgery, failed to foresee and address anticipated risks, and did not take measures to reduce risks to the minimum. The hospital’s disclosure of surgical risks and alternative therapies was deemed insufficient, failing to fulfill its professional obligation of comprehensive explanation.
A written response from the Chengwu County Health Bureau dated September 28, 2025, revealed that Chengwu County People’s Hospital failed to complete the medical records within 24 hours, the surgical informed consent form was incomplete, and the consultation before the surgery was not properly regulated. The issues were acknowledged and an administrative investigation was initiated on May 26 with appropriate actions to follow.
Currently, Xiaoye is 12 years old, and over the past two years, his family has taken him to various hospitals nationwide for treatment. However, they have been informed that multiple organ transplants are needed, posing significant challenges in finding suitable matches. Even if successful, Xiaoye would require lifelong anti-rejection medications. The cost of treatment is daunting for Xiaoye’s family.
In July of this year, Chengwu County People’s Hospital compensated them with 200,000 yuan, but it falls far short of covering Xiaoye’s ongoing treatment.
Xiaoye’s family is desperate to save him and seeks access to surveillance footage and videos of the surgery to uncover the truth and seek justice for Xiaoye.
The incident has sparked heated discussions on an overseas platform, with some speculating whether the boy’s organs were sold. However, others argue that it is not organ trafficking but rather a series of medical errors during the surgery, escalating the situation. Some even question if human experimentation was involved.
Netizens expressed concern over the inadequate compensation for the irreparable loss, highlighting the public pressure on local health departments to investigate. This case sheds light on the broader issue of “over-treatment” (unnecessary or economically driven treatments) potentially becoming a systemic problem in Chinese hospitals.
Former Shenzhen lawyer Zhou Junhong shared a similar experience on the platform, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in situations where regulatory oversight is lacking. She noted that under such circumstances, some doctors either lack conscience or competence. She urged people to be cautious.
It is noteworthy that in recent years, China has seen several cases of mysterious organ removals in hospitals, raising suspicions of links to the organ transplant black market.
On May 8, 2024, Luo Shuaiyu, a medical intern at Xiangya Second Hospital of Central South University, died in a bizarre fall from a building, initially ruled as “suicide” by the police. However, 1119 pages of report materials recovered from Luo’s computer exposed serious issues within the hospital, including illegal surgeries and unknown sources of children’s organs, causing societal shock.
During the Luo case, Deputy Director Liu Xiangfeng of Xiangya Second Hospital was under investigation and later sentenced to 17 years in prison on charges of fabricating medical conditions, kickbacks, and medical corruption. It was alleged that Liu ordered the removal of nearly five feet of the small intestine, claiming it had “another purpose.”
In conclusion, the story highlights the tragic consequences of medical malpractice and the challenges faced by victims and their families in seeking justice and proper compensation in such cases.