Botched surgery hurts hospital, told to pay ₹25L relief to patient

A stent inserted during a gall bladder removal had broken during surgery at the private hospital in September 2021

- Rajanbir Singh

CHANDIGARH: Nearly four years after a routine gallbladder surgery turned into a medical nightmare for a female patient, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-DF 1 has held a city hospital accountable for deficiency in service.

A stent inserted during the procedure had broken, leaving the patient battling complications, pain, countless visits to multiple hospitals and mounting medical bills.

Terming it guilty of causing mental agony and physical harassment to the complainant, the commission has directed Mukat Hospital, Sector 34, to pay ₹25 lakh in compensation, along with ₹6.37 lakh for the extra expenditure incurred due to additional treatment in Gurugram.

The complainant, Susheela, a resident of a city village, had approached the hospital on September 8, 2021, for abdominal pain.

Diagnosing her with a gall bladder stone, the doctors at the hospital advised her to get the gall bladder removed immediately, with the assurance of no problem in the future.

The complainant and her family agreed for the procedure, which involved insertion of a stent in the pancreas.