Karachi doctors save young man by removing rod lodged in chest near heart

Doctors at Jinnah Hospital Karachi saved a 21-year-old man after a wooden rod pierced through his chest, narrowly missing his heart and major arteries.

The young man fell from a height of nearly seven feet onto a wooden stick, which entered his body from under his left armpit and lodged deep into his chest, stopping dangerously close to the heart and a major artery.

The severely injured patient was rushed to the emergency ward of Jinnah Hospital, where doctors found his heartbeat to be critically low. The medical team immediately began treatment under Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols.

Thoracic surgeons Dr. Muhammad Shoaib and Dr. Nadir Ali said that based on the nature of the injury, there were serious concerns that the heart or major blood vessels might have been damaged, as such injuries are often fatal.

Examination revealed that the wooden rod had entered between the third ribs on the left side of the chest, with its end visible near the breastbone. The doctors described the case as “extremely dangerous,” noting that the rod was just a few centimeters away from the heart and aorta.

They credited timely surgery, effective teamwork, and prompt medical response for saving the young man’s life.

The patient has since regained full consciousness and is recovering rapidly. The surgery was conducted under the supervision of Professor Tanveer Ahmed by a team comprising Dr. Muhammad Shoaib, Dr. Nadir Ali, and Dr. Aina.