A routine surgical admission took a serious turn when a 58-year-old man developed intestinal perforation and peritonitis following hernia surgery in Surat. The Gujarat State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission has directed the treating doctor and a hospital to pay Rs 65.5 lakh to the patient’s family, along with 8% annual interest. The patient was admitted to a hospital in Surat in February 2016 for hernia surgery. The procedure, reportedly expected to be brief, continued for more than two hours. Following surgery, he developed severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and abdominal swelling.

His condition subsequently worsened, prompting transfer to another hospital. A second operation revealed an intestinal perforation, with intestinal contents leaking into the abdominal cavity along with pus formation and peritonitis. The patient died approximately one week after the initial procedure. The…