KOCHI: The injury that Pradeep Kumar, 32, sustained in the gunshots following a spat at a roadside eatery in Moolamattom, Idukki, in March had left him grievously injured. His friend Sanal Babu, 34, died on the spot. Nearly seven months later, Kumar has fully recovered, thanks to a complicated surgery he underwent at Sunrise Hospital, Kochi. The doctors removed three bullet pellets from his brain during the six-hour surgery.
Kumar had gone into a coma, but regained consciousness after spending several days in a couple of hospitals. He had lost his visual and auditory abilities, and also memory due to the injury.“Pellets struck on both sides of his brain. One pierced through his left side and another struck on the right side,” said neurosurgeon Dr Jain George, who led the surgery.
He said the ‘stereotactic neuro navigation’ surgery was done through a keyhole which is safer and quicker. It was done a month ago and he was discharged on Wednesday. “The awake craniotomy (surgical opening through the skull) done by the doctors is the first of its kind in India,” said Dr George. In awake craniotomy, the patient is woken up during surgery. The pellets were removed using keyhole craniotomy, said Dr George.
The tragic incident had happened on March 26 when Moolamattom native Philip Martin, 30, visited the hotel to have meals late in the evening. When he was told that meals was not available, he had an argument with the women who were managing the hotel. An argument ensued, followed by a fight.
An enraged Martin went to his house nearby, returned with an unlicensed gun and started shooting people in the area. Kumar and Babu, who were passing through the area on a bike, were hit by the bullets. While Babu died on the spot, Kumar was taken to the Medical College Hospital, Kolencherry.
Other doctors in the team included consultant neurologist Dr Shyma M M; senior consultant neurologist Dr Jacob Chacko and anesthesiology head Dr Shaji P G.