"Video of My Breast Surgery on SNS..." Ridiculous Excuse by Chinese Hospital Amid Complaints

A video of a woman’s breast augmentation surgery in China was leaked online without her consent, sparking controversy as the hospital consistently avoided taking responsibility.

On the 16th, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Ms. A, who underwent breast augmentation surgery at a plastic surgery hospital in Henan Province, central China, last January, is currently engaged in a legal dispute with the hospital.

[Photo by SCMP]

Five months after the surgery, Ms. A was shocked to come across a video of her breast surgery on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. The video clearly showed her undergoing the breast surgery. In the footage, Ms. A’s body and face, wrapped in bandages while under anesthesia, were exposed without any mosaic blurring. The video had received 28,000 likes and had been shared 39,000 times.

Ms. A contacted the hospital, stating that her privacy had been severely violated, and requested the identity of the person who filmed the video as well as its removal. She also demanded a public apology and compensation for damages.

However, the hospital refused to apologize, claiming that “the video was filmed by an outsider.” They also argued that “surgery monitoring videos are destroyed after three months, so it is impossible to track down the person who recorded the video.” Nevertheless, they stated that if the video is reposted online, they would cooperate with social media platforms to have it deleted.

In response, Ms. A countered, “The hospital should be able to find out who filmed the video. The operating room is a very private space, and the video clearly shows doctors and nurses, making it highly unlikely that an outsider entered and filmed.” The hospital then changed its stance, saying, “The person who filmed the video has resigned and we no longer have their contact information.”

Due to the hospital’s response, Ms. A ultimately decided to take legal action. Local netizens also criticized the hospital online. Comments included, “Is it believable that the information of someone who left less than a year ago is unavailable?” “They always blame the person who left whenever something goes wrong,” and “Their excuses are too pathetic.”

A legal expert in China told SCMP, “The hospital’s disclosure of a patient’s medical information and face without consent constitutes a violation of privacy and portrait rights. Even if the video was filmed by an outsider, the hospital has a duty to supervise and manage.”