China’s medical accidents have been occurring frequently, even simple procedures like wisdom tooth extraction have turned into high-risk incidents. Recently, a woman named Huang (pseudonym) from Shenzhen experienced persistent headaches after having her wisdom tooth removed at a dental clinic. Despite taking ibuprofen three times a day, the pain did not subside. Upon reevaluation, it was discovered that a surgical needle was left inside her mouth, requiring her to undergo a second surgery under general anesthesia, severely impacting her work and daily life. On May 12, Huang lodged a complaint with the Health Bureau of Futian District, Shenzhen.
In early May, Huang had her wisdom tooth extracted at a dental clinic in Shenzhen. She continued to experience headaches post-surgery and on May 3, returned to the hospital for a follow-up, only to find out that a surgical needle about 1 centimeter long used during the extraction was still lodged in her mouth, necessitating a second surgery.
After a 4-hour general anesthesia surgery, the surgical needle left in her mouth was removed. Due to the nature of the procedure, Huang was unable to speak for several days after the surgery, as the wisdom tooth extraction had already affected her ability to carry out normal daily activities.
Currently, Huang has filed a complaint with the Health Bureau of Futian District, Shenzhen. The clinic involved admitted to negligence in the procedure, attributing the mishap to a possible breakage and splintering of the needle during high-speed operation, yet failing to detect it promptly in postoperative examinations. They are currently in discussions with the patient to resolve the issue.
However, this is not an isolated case. According to data from the Shenzhen Dental Association, out of the 37 dental complaints received in the city in 2024, 6 cases involved leftover surgical instruments, mostly occurring during complex tooth extraction surgeries.
On August 24, 2024, an 8-year-old girl in Harbin, undergoing surgery for recurrent tonsillitis at a renowned children’s hospital, developed complications during the procedure and tragically passed away.
On April 13, 2024, a 31-year-old woman named Yang from Jiujiang District, Anhui Province, sought treatment for a cold at the Zhengwanquan Hospital in Wuhu, but unfortunately passed away three hours later.
In April 2025, Dr. Xiao Fei, Deputy Director of Thoracic Surgery at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, left his post in the operating room for 40 minutes due to a personal dispute, neglecting the anesthesia patient, violating medical ethics. The involved resident doctor, Dong Xiyin, bypassed standard procedures to avoid transfer arrangements, revealing hidden rules in the medical education system such as “connections” and “favoritism”.
Concerns were raised about Dong Xiyin’s academic background, as rumors suggested his father was a senior executive at a central enterprise, leading to the sudden closure of the recruitment system for the “4+4” trial class at the Peking Union Medical College after this incident escalated.
A Beijing resident named Wang Jie expressed to Dajiyuan that there are too many medical accidents nowadays, even extracting a tooth has become a risky endeavor. He lamented that in China, everything is based on connections, and all good positions are essentially obtained through them. Under the current system, disasters like these are inevitable, as the threshold for medical qualifications is too low for some and too high for others. The society is built on connections, making it difficult for ordinary individuals to advance, regardless of their abilities.