KARACHI: In an extraordinary life-saving operation, doctors and staff at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Karachi rescued a 21-year-old man who survived a rare and nearly fatal chest injury after falling onto a wooden stick that pierced his body — stopping just centimeters short of the aorta, the body’s main artery.
The patient was brought to JPMC’s Emergency Department in critical condition with a dangerously low heart rate. The trauma team immediately activated the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol. A rapid assessment revealed the wooden stick had entered through the left side of the chest and was lodged near the sternum, alarmingly close to the heart and major blood vessels — a situation that could have turned fatal within minutes.
An emergency thoracic surgery was carried out by Dr. Muhammad Shoaib, Dr. Nadir Ali (Thoracic Surgeon), and Dr. Aaina, under the supervision of Professor Tanver Ahmed, with crucial anesthesia support from Dr. Superna and Dr. Quanita, and assistance from Staff Nurse Azra Shaheen and Akhtiar Ahmed Solangi. The Operation Theatre and Emergency Administration teams worked with exceptional coordination to save the patient’s life.
During surgery, it was found that the stick had penetrated the intercostal muscles and pleura and caused a lung laceration but had miraculously missed the heart and major vessels. The foreign object was carefully removed under direct vision, bleeding was controlled, and the lung and chest wall were repaired. The patient was successfully extubated on the operating table, showing signs of rapid recovery.
Hospital officials praised the Emergency Operation Theatre Department, surgical team, anesthesia team, and nursing staff for their swift response, precision, and teamwork.
The patient is now in stable condition and recovering well, with no signs of cardiac or vascular complications. This case stands as a powerful testament to JPMC’s medical excellence — proving that timely action and teamwork can turn even the most critical trauma into a story of survival.
