When a surgeon's negligence became the hospital's responsibility
Issue -
October - 2026, Posted On: 01 October 2026
An appendicectomy is among the most routine surgical procedures performed in hospitals. Yet when a patient continues to suffer persistent pain, repeated infections and multiple hospital admissions long after the surgery, the operation itself inevitably comes under scrutiny. In a recent decision, the Gujarat State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held that a hospital could not escape responsibility after a surgical mop left behind during an appendicectomy resulted in months of avoidable suffering for the patient.
The patient underwent an appendicectomy at Kesar Sal Hospital and was discharged a few days later. Instead of recovering, he repeatedly returned with severe abdominal pain, persistent pus discharge and bowel-related complications. Over the next several months, he underwent further procedures at the same hospital, including drainage of pus collections, investigations and repeated admissions. Despite these interventions, his symptoms continued unabated.
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