Pierced by a 5 Ft peice of angle-iron in accident...survived

[googly]

Amazing news, he had a will to live and he survived

NEW DELHI: It's almost as if 23-year-old Supratim Dutta was born to live twice. A five-feet-long and 2 inches wide iron angle pierced through the upper half of Dutta's body when he was involved in a road accident on July 12. A six-hour-long surgery at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre (AIIMS) later, Dutta survived to tell the tale.

HCL executive Dutta was on his way to his work in Gurgaon in an office car when the driver lost control and hit the Metro barricades on MG Road. "The impact was such that an iron angle pierced through the bonnet, then the dashboard and impaled Dutta," said colleague Saurabh Aggarwal, who was the first to reach the spot.

Interestingly, it was Dutta's last day at work. "He was supposed to join a new company next month. He was going to office just to bid his colleagues adieu. He is not able to talk much but he told me that the driver was sleepy," said Sukumar Dutta, the victim's father, adding, "HCL has extended all help to us." For nearly one-and-half hours after the accident, Dutta remained immobile in the car. He then called his cousin, his friends in HCL and his parents.

Dutta's mother Rubeena received his call at 6.30 am. As Sukumar was not at home, she rushed to the spot with her neighbour. "He told me 'ma help me. I have met with an accident and have a rod passing through my chest.' I couldn't believe what I was hearing," said Rubeena.

Saurabh had reached the spot in the meantime. With the help of locals, he managed to cut the angle and rushed his friend to the trauma centre. "It took nearly half-an-hour to cut the angle," said Saurabh.

Dutta's condition shocked even the most hardened doctors at the hospital.

"The doctors had to assess his condition before planning how to go about the surgery," said Dr MC Misra, chief, AIIMS Trauma Centre. The surgery lasted for nearly six hours during which the iron angle was carefully removed.

The iron angle had impaled Dutta right through the centre of his upper body, just below the chest. "The angle had caused a lot of damage. Most of his organs had been affected. We had to operate on him for that also and carefully assess the damage. It was one of the rare medical emergencies where doctors had to be very careful as one wrong move would have meant that we would have lost the patient," said a senior doctor.

Recuperating at the trauma centre, Dutta is being kept under constant observation as doctors fear the possibility of infection. "Though his condition is stable, he is still under observation," said Dr Misra. Doctors added that the case was rare because the object involved was not sharp. Thankfully, Dutta's spine was not damaged and his body movements remain intact.

Meanwhile, his parents can't stop thanking the doctors and God for giving their son a new lease of life. "He is alive and that's more than enough for us. The doctors are saying that he is recovering and we hope to take him home soon," said Sukumar.

Link: Impaled man lives to tell the tale-Delhi-Cities-The Times of India

[GTO]

I saw this in the Times this morning and the first words that slipped out of my mouth are "Gosh, this guy is real lucky!". Even his spine was saved from damage!

I wish him a speedy recovery.

[vivekiny2k]

I sincerely hope they have taken permission before publishing the pics.

I saw it in times too, good that indian doctors are catching up with trauma care technicalities.

[n_aditya]

Truly shocking. When i read the article in the morning I knew this guy was one of the luckiest people alive.

Wishing him the best of health and cheer in his new beginning.

[Surprise]

Oops, definitely not for light hearted. Wish him a speedy recovery

[abdriver2000]

I remember 2 bikers (rider +pillion) abroad being impaled on a bike few months ago. They were actually stuck together. I believe they also survived.

In a recent case in Mumbai, a biker was knocked off a bridge by a speeding vehicle and landed on an iron rod. He survived too.

As Vivek pointed out, it is good to see trauma care facilities in India, atleast in big cities.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by abdriver2000

As Vivek pointed out, it is good to see trauma care facilities in India, atleast in big cities.

Thats only if someone can take you to hospital in the first place. If I am not wrong, the guy lied there for quite sometime without help and called up everyone including his friends and parents. One of the friend he called was the first to reach the spot after which he was taken to AIIMS.
I live in delhi and have read and experienced the apathy of the general public towards an accident victim. Most of them would straightaway refuse to take the victim to hospital, some even fear that it will ruin their car's upholstery!