BENGALURU: A 21-year-old man from Yemen underwent a rare procedure to successfully extract a bullet lodged in his chest wall for close to two years.
Wasim (name changed) endured multiple gunshot wounds, one of which resulted in a bullet becoming lodged in his right lung. In Yemen, Wasim had his arm fracture and shoulder issues addressed. However, doctors were unable to locate the bullet due to its proximity to surrounding organs.
Wasim had come to Bengaluru after reading about similar surgeries available in the city. Upon seeking medical attention, he showed symptoms including persistent cough, breathing difficulties, and blood in sputum. Following an X-ray, a metallic object was detected within the chest wall, despite the absence of external injury signs.
The subsequent CT chest imaging revealed the presence of a 4x2x2 cm bullet that had transversed obliquely, embedding itself amidst the lung, liver, heart and diaphragm.
Dr Diwakar Bhat, Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgeon at Aster RV Hospital, executed the two-long surgery where he extracted the bullet while ensuring that other organs are not harmed.