Shanghai's privately-run Xiehe Hospital has had its license revoked after being found of breaking medical laws and regulations, said an official with the Shanghai Health Bureau Wednesday.

A 31-year-old single woman went to Xiehe Hospital in the afternoon of November 20, 2006. She had already undergone a gynecological test at Shanghai East Hospital that morning but was told it would take a week to get results.

Xiehe Hospital told her it could perform the test and provide the results the same day, so she decided to do the test again.

Doctors diagnosed Wang with a series of gynecological diseases that could leave her sterile.

Wang subsequently underwent 24 exams, two microwave treatments, and two surgical operations. Her bill came to nearly 40,000 yuan (about US$5,000).

Ironically, when the results of the exam at Shanghai East Hospital arrived on November 29, they said she was only suffering a very common gynecological disease.

The Shanghai Health Bureau investigated the case and confirmed that Xiehe Hospital had performed unnecessary tests and improper treatment on Wang, and revoked the hospital's operating license.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)