Tuen Mun Hospital misdiagnosed man's fatal fecal impaction as gastroenteritis, inquest hears

An inquest opened Thursday into the death of a 44-year-old schizophrenia patient misdiagnosed with gastroenteritis at Tuen Mun Hospital, who died from fecal impaction-caused intestinal obstruction in March 2024. Emergency doctor Mak Ho-hang testified he could not recall asking about the deceased's bowel habits, with no records of such questioning, and said he ruled out intestinal obstruction because bowel sounds were normal. Cheung Chi-keung was admitted March 2, 2024, after vomiting, prescribed four drugs, and discharged the same day. He collapsed in a center toilet hours later and died at 2:50 a.m. His brother alleged negligence.