Zhejiang's upgraded investigation into the Xiao Luoxi incident

Two major events occurred today that are worth noting. One is the National Cultural Heritage Administration's intervention, which has gone to Nanjing to conduct a review of the Nanjing Museum's cultural relic management issues. The climax of the Nanjing Museum has arrived! The other is that the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and the provincial government have dispatched a working group to investigate and supervise the Xiao Luoxi incident in Ningbo and the subsequent handling of the matter. Both public incidents have been fermenting for over a week, and the public reaction has been strong. Prior to this, local authorities had already established an investigation team, so today can be considered an upgraded investigation. Especially the upgraded investigation in Zhejiang fully reflects the governance concept of prioritizing life and the people. Previously, the handling of the doctors and hospitals involved in Ningbo was evidently unsatisfactory to the families and the public.

True "people first" should be reflected in the respect for every individual life and in the relentless pursuit of truth. The authority of the investigation team comes not only from the administrative level but also from the openness and transparency of its investigation process, and the objectivity and fairness of its conclusions. From the information disclosed about the Xiao Luoxi incident, at least three major points of contention need to be clarified by the investigation team: first, the controversy over diagnostic accuracy. The hospital's preoperative diagnosis was "mixed-type atrial septal defect," while the autopsy report provided by the family showed "no coronary sinus-type atrial septal defect detected."

This difference directly relates to the fundamental judgment of the necessity of surgery. Medical experts point out that secundum atrial septal defects less than 1 cm have a high self-healing rate in infants and young children, and doctors should cautiously recommend surgery, so the public inevitably questions: Is the preoperative diagnostic basis sufficient? Is there an over-medicalization for profit? Second, the questioning of the standard of surgical operation. The autopsy report revealed a series of shocking findings: a 6.5 cm incision on the right chest wall was not sutured, a 5 cm incision on the right side of the pericardium was not sutured, the amount of blood in the chest cavity exceeded 50% of the infant's total blood volume, and surgical patches were left inside the heart... These findings seriously violate medical norms.

Moreover, the operation time far exceeded expectations, and the family was not informed about the second thoracotomy, which further raised questions about operational standards. The investigation team needs to ascertain: Did the surgical team make technical errors? Was the handling of any emergencies during the operation appropriate? Were there any additions or alterations to the medical records? Third, the authenticity of the medical records and the issue of missing key evidence. The family has applied for a re-evaluation of the electronic medical records, which is an important step in seeking the truth.

At the same time, the panoramic monitoring in the operating room could not be replayed due to "no storage function," and there were no cameras in the intensive care unit, leading to a lack of traceability of core processes. In modern medical management, the lack of such key evidence itself is a systemic flaw. The investigation team should promote clarification: Are there any inaccuracies in the medical record? Does the hospital's monitoring system comply with regulatory requirements? It is heartbreaking that during the investigation process, the privacy of the victim's family was leaked, and some people even said the child was premature and in poor health to divert attention. A basic common sense is that misdiagnosis and medical accidents have nothing to do with prematurity?

Through yesterday's article, I found that a large number of concentrated comments from Zhejiang IP accounts and some local self-media are suspected of misleading, indeed leading a small number of netizens astray. If these voices are spontaneous from netizens, it is still normal; but if it is organized and premeditated whitewashing, it is suspected of manipulating public opinion, and I hope the investigation team will look into this as well. Currently, the family has reported the issue of privacy leakage and has applied for the authenticity of the medical records to be assessed, which is the correct way to seek the truth through legal channels. If the hospital believes its diagnosis and treatment actions comply with regulations, then please provide the original ultrasound report and the operating room surveillance video. Letting facts speak is more powerful than any public opinion manipulation.

One thing is certain: Xiao Luoxi's death actually shielded countless children from harm. Her final tears are a silent protest against this world. The light that Xiao Luoxi's parents have fought for will eventually shine upon us. Xiao Luoxi was only 5 months old, and she had not yet had the chance to call out for her mommy and daddy. Her unfortunate passing, regardless of the final investigation conclusion, has already become an irreversible tragedy. The only thing we can do is to sincerely pursue the truth and prevent such tragedies from happening again. Every account that spreads whitewashing and every comment saying "the child was already sick" is paving the way for possible medical crimes and delaying the arrival of justice.

They may not realize that their keyboards are stained with Xiao Luoxi's blood. The truth will not change because of internet trolls, and justice will not be absent because of whitewashing. We hope that the upgraded investigation in Zhejiang can withstand all interference and provide a conclusion that can withstand the test of time. This is both a consolation for Xiao Luoxi's life and a response to the public's concern for medical safety. We cannot let our trust in healthcare be destroyed by one doctor or one hospital. As parents or children, empathizing with the Xiao Luoxi incident is a basic stance of a conscientious person. May every tragedy promote progress, and may every life be treated gently.