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Hospital denies wrongdoings during Shin's operation
Surgeon will be grilled Saturday over Shin’s death
By Kim Se-jeong
The late Shin Hae-chul
By Kim Se-jeong
Seoul Sky Hospital on Tuesday refuted the findings of an initial autopsy report regarding the death of the singer Shin Hae-chul, saying that its surgeon did not make any mistakes during an operation that took place on Oct. 17.
“Shin’s death has nothing to do with my client. It is premature to conclude that the hospital is responsible for his death on the basis of the autopsy results only,” said a lawyer representing both the surgeon, Kang Se-hoon, and the hospital.
This reaction came one day after the autopsy, which found that there had been two perforations in Shin’s small intestine and pericardium. The pericardium is a double-layered membrane that surrounds the heart. Forensic scientist Choi Youn-sik, who examined his body, said the perforations were likely caused during the operation conducted on Oct. 17.
Kang is scheduled to be questioned on Nov. 8 over possible negligence charges or medical malpractice. The full results of the autopsy are expected next week. On basis of the results of this, he could face criminal charges.
Shin’s family said his body will be cremated on Wednesday, which will be followed by a press conference after the ceremony.
Kang’s lawyer later raised the possibility that the perforations could have been made by mistake at the Asan Medical Center, where Shin arrived on Oct. 22 unconscious.
“In particular, it’s nonsense that we made a perforation in his pericardium. My client had not touched anywhere near the pericardium. The intestine and heart are completely separate. We suspect something might have gone wrong at the Asan Medical Hospital.”
The lawyer also claimed Shin may have died because he failed to follow his doctor’s instructions.
“Shin was fine the first two days after the operation. He might have eaten something at home, which he was not supposed to do. Food could have made the perforations.”
Shin’s family responded to this saying he was suffering from excruciating pain immediately after the operation. According to medical records, he was released from hospital one day after his operation, but was soon hospitalized again after experiencing excruciating pain. On Oct. 22, he was transferred to Asan Medical Center.
Yoon Won-hee, Shin’s wife, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Kang on Saturday, saying that Kang’s medical malpractices killed her husband.
Police in Songpa-gu raided Kang’s hospital, and are currently examining medical records both from Seoul Sky Hospital and the Asan Medical Center.
Shin was pronounced dead on Oct. 27 at the medical center. Cerebral hypoxia ― oxygen failing to reach the brain ― was the direct cause of death, according to the Asan hospital.
Kang treated Shin for intestinal adhesion and obstruction on Oct. 17. Kang also conducted an adjustable lap-band operation, a type of weight loss surgery, on Shin back in 2009.
Medical experts say intestinal adhesions are common among abdominal surgery patients. This can happen right after surgery or several years later, which may be the case for Shin.