How a Mornington hairdresser’s ‘simple’ keyhole surgery ended in a 10-day coma and stoma bag

A former Mornington hairdresser says she’s in a living hell after a keyhole abdominal surgery went terribly wrong, ending with her on death’s door, comatose in ICU — and leaving with a stoma.

Former Mornington hairdresser Danielle Hill nearly died after a "simple" keyhole surgery. Picture: Supplied

A former Mornington hairdresser says she’s in a living hell after a “simple” keyhole surgery at a Victorian private hospital went dangerously wrong, ending up with her comatose in intensive care and hospitalised for five weeks.

Formerly fit and healthy single mum Danielle Hill, 50, now has a stoma bag, is in constant pain and says she feels “like an 80-year-old woman”.

She says she has lost 15 kilos in a matter of months, is unable to work or lift, has little energy and restricted movement — making daily life as a parent to her 15-year-old daughter “a nightmare”.

Even so, Ms Hill says she’s relieved just to be alive, after her bowel was nicked during the supposedly routine laparoscopic revision surgery at Peninsula Private Hospital on April 30 this year and she developed sepsis, with clinicians later telling her she had been frighteningly close to death because the infection had raged for so long before being detected.

Peninsula Private is operated by the Australian multinational healthcare provider and hospital network, Ramsay Health Care.

Danielle Hill before her keyhole surgery. Picture: Supplied

Danielle Hill now, after her “simple” surgery nightmare. Picture: Supplied

Ms Hill says she was told she would be in hospital just one night after the keyhole surgery to rectify issues remaining from a partial hysterectomy in October 2022, but ended up in a coma for 10 days and in hospital for more than a month.

“Unfortunately, they nicked my bowel and then let me sit there for five days. I don’t remember a lot of it, obviously because my body was being ridiculously poisoned — it was horrific,” she said.

“My daughter’s dad got a phone call on the fifth day saying, if we don’t operate she’s got hours to live.

“It’s disgusting … duty of care should have made them realise that if I wasn’t getting better after the second day, then something’s not right. I ended up in a coma and in intensive care. Basically the bowel surgeon then saved my life. He cut me open right up the middle and across.

“I now have a stoma bag for six months … none of this would have happened if they hadn’t left me so long. It was explained to my partner that you can’t open someone up and just disinfect them. My body was completely septic.

Danielle Hill in hospital. Picture: Supplied

A major surgery had to be performed, to save her life. Picture: Supplied

“So basically, I had a huge hole in my stomach, a ridiculously big hole, where the infection was coming out.”

But Ms Hill says her “nightmare” did not end there.

On a powerful cocktail of drugs, on waking from the coma in hospital she thought she had been abducted and felt sheer panic and terror.

Tubes also got stuck in her throat, creating additional complications.

Her lungs filled with fluid, necessitating the insertion of a tube in order to drain 660 mls of fluid from her chest.

“I had so many plans as a 50-year-old single mum,” Ms Hill told the Herald Sun.

“I was meant to go away last weekend with my daughter and her dad to see Missy Higgins in Sydney but couldn’t go. I can’t work until next year.”

Ms Hill, who in the past ran two busy hairdressing salons, said she now received a small amount of government unemployment benefits, but it barely covered her rent.

“So I’ve had to use super and now I’ve got no super left,” she said, adding the operation had destroyed her life.

A Peninsula Private spokeswoman said the hospital was now reviewing Ms Hill’s case, to check the care provided to her in the hospital was to the appropriate standard.

“While there are always risks associated with surgery, we have robust processes and safeguards in place to minimise the likelihood of complications occurring following a surgical procedure,” she said.

“We sympathise with Ms Hill who experienced a well-recognised complication of the particular procedure she initially underwent. We wish Ms Hill well as she recuperates and we have reached out to invite her to meet with our executive team should she wish to discuss any aspects of her care.”

A GoFundMe to help raise money to help Ms Hill has so far raised a little over $2000, of a $15,000 target.

Organiser Jo Varcoe said Danielle could not work as a hairdresser as she could not be on her feet for long and needed help to pay bills over winter.

Ms Hill said having a stoma and being in constant pain also made working impossible.

A stoma is an opening in your abdomen which is used to remove bodily waste — faeces or urine — into a small bag. It can be temporary or permanent.