Male Resident of Osaka Facility for Disabled Dies After Dental Treatment, Chest Compressions Investigated

From NHK

May 30th 2024

OSAKA – A 69-year-old male resident of a facility for the disabled in Yodogawa Ward, Osaka, lost consciousness while undergoing treatment for a cavity and later died.

He is said to have suffered acute respiratory failure due to pressure on the chest and other areas. At the time, five staff members at the facility were holding the man down to prevent him from moving during treatment, and the police are currently investigating the details.

According to the police, at around 2:00 p.m. on the 27th of this month, a 69-year-old man with intellectual disabilities who was staying at the Andante Kashima facility for the disabled in Yodogawa Ward, Osaka, lost consciousness while undergoing treatment for a cavity. The man was taken to the hospital, but died about an hour later.

Police investigation revealed that the cause of death was acute respiratory failure due to pressure on the chest and abdomen.

At the time, five staff members at the facility were holding the man down to prevent him from moving during treatment, and the facility explained to the police that “the man was violent, so we held him down, but he turned pale and stopped breathing.”

The facility had a dentist who regularly visited the facility to treat residents, and police are currently investigating the details of the incident.

In response to an interview with NHK, the facility said, “The man had cavities during a previous dental checkup, and it was decided that he would be treated on this day. We had staff stationed there in advance to ensure that the man would not move or injure himself during treatment.” They added, “We are sorry that he died. We will cooperate with the police investigation, and as a facility we will identify areas for reflection and improvement and strive to prevent recurrence.”