NEW DELHI: City doctors extracted a 2-cm-long bullet from the left lung of a 45-year-old farmer who was shot 16 years ago following a personal dispute at his hometown in Kanpur.
The bullet, lodged perilously close to his heart, remained stuck in his lung since 2008, causing no major issues until recently.
For the past year, Singh experienced severe chest pain and began coughing up blood, symptoms that grew progressively worse. A CT scan had revealed the bullet’s location, along with a collapsed lung. Despite consulting several specialists over the years, the dangerous location of the bullet near vital organs had prevented earlier surgery.
As Singh’s condition became much worse, he was taken in by a Saket hospital.
“Such cases are rare, but when a long-standing bullet starts causing life-threatening bleeding, immediate surgery becomes necessary,” said Max Hospital’s Dr Shaiwal Khandelwal, who led the operation, removing both the bullet and the damaged part of Singh’s lung.
Doctors caution that bullets lodged near vital organs can cause complications over time, even after years without symptoms, as in Singh’s case where the bullet triggered life-threatening issues.
“However, if left untreated, these bullets may cause foreign body reactions and may migrate and invade the vital structures as has happened with this patient,” Khandelwal said.
Bullet’s precarious location
CT scan revealed the bullet’s location, along with a collapsed lung. Despite consulting specialists over the years, the dangerous location of the bullet near vital organs prevented earlier surgery attempts