28-5-2024 (SINGAPORE) The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) has taken disciplinary action against veteran doctor Yeo Khee Hong, suspending him for a year after his misdiagnosis in 2019 resulted in a teenage patient losing one of his testicles. The case has shed light on the severe consequences of medical negligence and the importance of timely and accurate diagnoses.
According to reports from Channel News Asia (CNA), the registered medical practitioner, who has been practicing for about 42 years, initially diagnosed the teenager with abdominal colic and prescribed stomach medication when the patient complained of pain in his left abdomen that had started from his left testis in March 2019. When the patient later exhibited swelling and inflammation in his testicles, Dr. Yeo prescribed antibiotics, but failed to consider the possibility of testicular torsion, a condition where the spermatic cord becomes twisted, cutting off the blood supply to the testicle.
Despite the patient’s deteriorating condition, Dr. Yeo did not refer him for urgent care or to a specialist, a decision that proved costly. It was only after the boy’s father called the doctor on April 1, 2019, reporting severe pain, that Dr. Yeo advised urgent admission to the accident and emergency department. A scrotal ultrasound at the hospital revealed testicular torsion, and the patient underwent surgery to remove his left testicle.
The SMC’s investigation found that had the boy been referred for urgent care in time, he would have had a 90.4% to 97.2% chance of salvaging his testicle. However, Dr. Yeo’s delay in diagnosis and treatment led to the irreversible loss of the organ.
Around July 2020, the boy’s father filed a complaint with the SMC, alleging that Dr. Yeo’s negligence caused the removal of his son’s left testicle. Dr. Yeo acknowledged his mistake and sent an apology letter to the patient and his family, but argued that a referral would not have guaranteed the preservation of the testicle.
The SMC’s counsel, however, maintained that Dr. Yeo’s misconduct significantly reduced the patient’s chances of saving his testicle. In addition to the one-year suspension, Dr. Yeo must submit a written statement to the SMC, pledging not to commit similar conduct again. He will also be responsible for covering the costs of the proceedings, including those incurred by the SMC’s lawyers.
