KARACHI: Doctors at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Karachi have successfully performed a highly complex emergency cardiac surgery on a 12-year-old boy from Khuzdar, Balochistan, removing a bullet lodged inside his heart and saving his life.
The child sustained an accidental gunshot injury in Khuzdar City and was initially taken to local hospitals. Owing to the critical nature of the injury and the need for specialized cardiac treatment, he was subsequently shifted to Karachi.
After being taken to different hospitals in the city, the boy was eventually brought in an extremely critical condition to the Paediatric Emergency Department at NICVD Karachi, where doctors immediately began emergency assessment and treatment.
An urgent echocardiography confirmed that the bullet was lodged inside the child's heart. Considering the life-threatening situation, the medical team decided to proceed with emergency surgery and shifted him to the operation theatre within minutes.
The approximately two-hour-long surgery was performed by a specialized team led by Prof. Sohail Khan Bangash, Head of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery at NICVD, along with Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Saad Badar.
The multidisciplinary team also included Paediatric Interventionist Dr. Abdul Sattar, Anaesthetist Prof. Amin Khuwaja, and other doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.
Prof. Sohail Khan Bangash said the child had arrived in an extremely critical condition and any delay could have further endangered his life.
“After immediate assessment, we took the decision to perform emergency surgery without delay. It was a highly challenging and delicate procedure, but with the coordinated efforts of the entire team, the bullet was successfully removed and the child is now recovering well,” he said.
Following the successful removal of the bullet, the child was shifted to the Critical Care Unit, where, according to NICVD, he is recovering well under close medical supervision.
NICVD Executive Director Prof. Tahir Saghir appreciated the surgical and supporting teams for their timely response and professional efforts that helped save the child's life.
He said NICVD remained committed to providing advanced and specialized cardiac care to patients from Sindh and other parts of Pakistan, irrespective of their background or place of origin.
Prof. Saghir said that with the continued support of the Sindh government, NICVD had developed facilities and expertise to manage highly complex and critical cardiac emergencies.
The institute described the successful surgery as another example of its capacity to provide specialized and life-saving cardiovascular treatment to patients referred from across the country.
