Man undergoes 5-hour surgery at Delhi hospital for gunshot injury in head

A Delhi man, who suffered a penetrating gunshot injury in his head, has got a new lease of life after undergoing a five-hour complicated surgery conducted by a team of doctors at a leading private hospital.

Radhey Shyam, 39, was brought to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (SGRH) in a "critical condition" and his condition was deteriorating every second, hospital authorities said on Monday.

"Thus, in spite of the coronavirus pandemic, it was decided to form an emergency medical board, and to wheel the patient to operation theatre without waiting for his COVID-19 test result," the SGRH said in a statement.

However, adhering to all safety protocols, the surgery and anaesthesia team and the support staff were "kept to a minimum number", all of whom donned PPE kits, and no one was allowed to leave the operation theatre till the surgery was finished, hospital authorities said.

Shyam, a resident of Sonia Vihar, was shifted from LNJP Hospital, a dedicated COVID-19 facility, to the casualty of the SGRH on July 4.

At SGRH, 80 per cent of beds are reserved for COVID-19 patients.

It was not immediately known how the man suffered gunshot injury.

"The patient had suffered a penetrating gunshot injury from a close range in his head. He was bleeding profusely and had breathing difficulties for which he had to be put on ventilatory support," the statement said.

According to Dr Samir K Kalra, Senior Neurosurgeon, SGRH, “When we opened the skull we were surprised to see that multiple pellets had penetrated the skull at various depths and had severely crushed left part of his brain which was under severe pressure and started bulging out." This being the dominant side of the brain needed utmost care while releasing the brain pressure, the main challenges being preserving the normal brain tissue as well as removing the bullet remnants, he said.

"There were also multiple clots in the brain which also needed removal and brain cleansing and safe control of bleeding was the aim in this situation," said Kalra who led the emergency medical board.

Dr Rajesh Acharya, Senior Neurosurgeon at the hospital, said, “After the bone flap was removed, the shattered and bleeding brain tissue were secured and hundreds of fragments of gunmetal and pellets were removed".

After a five-hour surgery, the bleeding was successfully controlled and patient was shifted to an ICU.  Postoperatively tracheostomy was done and he was gradually weaned off the ventilatory support. Currently the patient is conscious, is in the room, gradually recovering and has started eating as well. The patient has now become interactive, and has been wanting to walk with support as well, hospital authorities said.

He is soon going to be discharged, they said. 

Image credits: PTI / Representative image