Man with multiple bullet injuries undergoes successful surgery

A 24-year old man, who had multiple bullet injuries in his liver, kidney and abdomen, underwent a successful surgery at a hospital here, doctors said Wednesday.

Ramesh's condition deteriorated as the bullets had damaged the lower lobe of his liver, pierced his abdomen and one of his kidneys. He was also passing blood in urine and had blood clots in his right chest.

Ramesh, a resident of Nangloi in Delhi, was shot at by his neighbour following a land dispute.

According to doctors, the bullets had also shattered the inferior vena cava (IVC), which carries blood of the entire lower body and abdomen to the heart.

His blood pressure was falling, following which he was immediately rushed to the operation theatre of Delhi's Saroj Super Speciality Hospital.

The team of doctors repaired the man's blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart and removed the damaged liver part.

"The surgery involved a lot of risk as the bullet had gone towards the centre of the body where it had damaged the blood supply to the liver," said Ravinder Pal Singh Malhotra, director of the Institute of Liver Transplant and Gastro-Sciences at the hospital.

"The IVC was massively shattered in three places, which compromised the return of blood to his heart. During surgery, the patient's blood pressure dropped below 60 mm, and he also had a heart attack which needed cardiac massage to bring him back to life," he added.

"The patient also needed 27 units of blood products and 30 litres of IV fluids during his surgery," the doctor said.

Precautions were also taken to prevent further injury to the liver and kidney before the man was discharged from hospital.