In breaking news from July 23, 2025, a 4-year-old boy in Guiyang County, Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, died after undergoing general anesthesia for a tooth extraction. The tragic incident was brought to light by netizens and quickly became a hot topic on July 23.
According to a video posted by a netizen on social media on July 22, the four-year-old nephew (her brother’s child) of the netizen experienced an accident during a milk tooth extraction surgery at the First People’s Hospital of Guiyang County (General Hospital) and tragically passed away. The incident occurred around noon on that day, with the child entering the operating room and the hospital only informing the family of the child’s passing around 6 p.m. that afternoon.
Expressing disbelief, the netizen questioned, “Who could have imagined that a routine milk tooth extraction, a brief anesthesia session, would turn into a final farewell between him and the world because Guiyang County People’s Hospital turned a simple tooth extraction under general anesthesia into a tragedy?” The netizen also raised concerns about which part of the process went wrong: “Was it a dosage error in anesthesia? A violation of operating procedures? Or was the doctor simply not equipped to handle sudden situations?”
The office staff of the First People’s Hospital of Guiyang County (General Hospital) stated to the Qilu Evening News on the afternoon of July 22 that the hospital’s Medical Affairs Department has been handling the matter, and the specific details are still unclear.
Many netizens questioned why a 4-year-old child needed general anesthesia for a milk tooth extraction, with some suggesting that removing teeth with risks involved, where nerves may be impacted, may not be as beneficial as natural shedding at the appropriate age.
Netizen “我愛V擺渡” pointed out, “At 4 years old, it’s not yet the usual age for tooth replacement, which typically occurs between 6-12 years old. Tooth extraction carries risks, and it may be better to allow teeth to naturally fall out.”
Another netizen, “qjjbxkj,” commented, “General anesthesia poses significant risks for children. Over the past two months alone, there have been news reports of children dying due to general anesthesia. Not counting this case, there have been five cases reported.”
A user on Baidu with the handle 48b5013 highlighted the potential long-term effects and side effects of all anesthesia drugs, noting that sedatives can impact intelligence and memory, emphasizing the importance of conservative treatment whenever possible.