CHANDIGARH, June 16 — Nearly four years after a routine gallbladder removal turned into a harrowing medical ordeal, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission–DF 1 has held Mukat Hospital, Sector 34, accountable for negligence and ordered it to pay ₹25 lakh in compensation to the patient, along with ₹6.37 lakh towards additional medical expenses.
The complainant, Susheela, a resident of a local village, underwent laparoscopic gallbladder surgery at Mukat Hospital on September 8, 2021, following complaints of abdominal pain. Doctors diagnosed her with gallstones and advised immediate removal of the gallbladder, assuring her and her family there would be no complications.
During the procedure, however, a prophylactic plastic stent inserted into her pancreas fractured — a portion of it lodged in the pancreatic duct. Susheela alleged the hospital failed to disclose the complication promptly and attempted to manage the worsening situation internally until it became unmanageable. Eventually, she was referred to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram.
“The stent broke during the procedure, but instead of informing us immediately, the hospital delayed intervention and later claimed they lacked the expertise to remove it,” Susheela stated in her complaint. She further alleged that a substandard stent was used and that the referral to Gurugram was done in haste to avoid scrutiny.
She was admitted to Medanta three times for follow-up treatment, incurring ₹6.37 lakh in additional expenses, and continued to seek care at PGIMER and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.
Mukat Hospital, in its defence, denied any negligence, asserting that informed consent was taken prior to the surgery. It claimed the procedure followed standard medical guidelines and that stent breakage is a rare but recognised risk, which requires specialised intervention available only at advanced medical centres.
“The patient was stable and her blood circulation normal. The decision to shift her to Gurugram was taken with the family’s consent, especially since their hometown was nearby,” the hospital submitted.
The commission, however, found the hospital at fault for proceeding with the surgery without adequate facilities to manage such complications. “The act of conducting a procedure without being equipped to deal with its adverse outcomes, and shifting the patient to another city, constitutes clear deficiency in service,” the order read.
The commission directed Mukat Hospital to pay ₹25 lakh as compensation for mental agony and physical suffering, ₹6.37 lakh for the additional treatment costs at Medanta, and ₹10,000 as litigation expenses.
The ruling is expected to serve as a precedent for accountability in cases where standard protocols are followed without readiness for potential complications.
