Ankle surgery at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital: fast surgery, zero communication

When: 2025-01
City: Shanghai
Total cost reported: Not reported
Shared on: Reddit
Patient from: USA (Vietnamese-Chinese-American, self-described)
Hospital: Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital

Self-reportedLast verified 26 Oct 2026

Timeline

2025-01

I had no idea what was wrong, no idea what they were going to do for surgery, no clue WHO was going to operate.

What went well

Surgery itself completed at a major public orthopedic hospital; insurance required the public route

What was hard

No explanation of diagnosis, planned surgery, surgeon identity or prognosis, despite basic Mandarin
Nurses and doctors too busy to attempt communication; local roommates equally uninformed
Author describes the experience as traumatic and is seeking a paid translator for follow-ups

I had no idea what was wrong, no idea what they were going to do for surgery, no clue WHO was going to operate.

Individual experience; outcomes vary. This story is a summary linking to its source; follow the link for the original account.

Source

Translator for hire? Especially to navigate public hospital
Reddit thread (platform-linked) · community · accessed 2026-10-26

Information only. Not medical advice, diagnosis or a treatment recommendation. Talk to your doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.