Odisha Doctors Save Youth’s Life by Removing Arrow from Stomach

Bhubaneswar : In a rare and life-saving medical feat, doctors at Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital (SLNMCH) in Koraput district successfully removed an arrow lodged deep inside the stomach of a young man.

The patient, identified as Laxman Gouda from Paknaguda village in Mathili block of Malkangiri district, was rushed to Koraput in a critical state after receiving preliminary treatment at Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital. He had been shot with an arrow by another villager during a local dispute on Monday evening.

By the time Gouda reached SLNMCH, he had lost nearly 1.5 litres of blood. The arrow had penetrated around six inches into his abdomen, cutting through his intestine at two places. Doctors immediately took him to the operation theatre at around 10 pm for an emergency surgery.

A team of surgeons and anesthesiologists — Dr Mrutyunjay Mallick, Dr Subhabrat Das, Dr Abhishek Patra, Dr Gopal Krishna Nayak, and Dr Gayatri Mallick — worked tirelessly for over two and a half hours to remove the arrow.

According to the doctors, the procedure was extremely risky due to the arrow’s position and the internal damage it caused. “Any delay could have proved fatal as his intestine was already severed. Thankfully, the operation was successful, and the patient is now stable,” said one of the doctors.

The surgery was hailed as a remarkable achievement by the medical fraternity of the hospital. Family members of Gouda expressed their deep gratitude to the doctors for saving his life.