Bengaluru: A woman from Bengaluru has been awarded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh after a 3.2-centimeter surgical needle was discovered in her body nearly two decades after undergoing surgery at a private hospital. The Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has held the hospital and two doctors accountable for the incident, ordering them to pay Padmavathi, a Jayanagar resident, Rs 50,000 to cover litigation expenses. Additionally, New India Assurance Co Ltd, which provided a policy covering the hospital’s expenses, has been directed to compensate her with Rs 5 lakh for the “professional and medical negligence” incurred, as reported by PTI.
The surgery took place on September 29, 2004, at Deepak Hospital, where the two doctors allegedly performed a hernia operation and also removed Padmavathi’s appendix, according to the Commission’s recent order. The day after the surgery, Padmavathi complained of severe pain, for which she was given painkillers as part of her post-operative care. However, she continued to suffer from acute stomach and back pain for several years, leading to two more admissions to the same hospital.
In 2010, Padmavathi sought treatment at another private hospital, where it was discovered that a foreign object was present in her abdominal and back area. It was suggested that she undergo surgery to remove the surgical needle. After the needle was successfully removed, Padmavathi filed a complaint with the consumer forum the following year.