Surgical gastroenterologist R.K. Hanumanth Naik and others addressing presspersons in Davangere on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Doctors at S.S. Nayarana Super Speciality Centre in Davangere have saved the life of a 40-year-old man who consumed toilet cleaner in a bid to end his life. They carried out an extensive surgical intervention and provided critical care.

Addressing a press conference with a team of team of doctors he led in conducting the surgery in Davangere on Friday, surgical gastroenterologist R.K. Hanumanth Naik said that when the patient was brought to hospital, he was in a critical condition as he had consumed toilet cleaner containing hydrochloric acid and other toxic chemicals.

“Upon arrival at the hospital, he was placed on ventilator support with ionotropic assistance due to his deteriorating condition. A CT scan of the abdomen revealed ischemia (reduced blood flow) affecting the stomach and proximal small bowel, while an endoscopic evaluation classified his stomach injury as Zargar grade-4, one of the most severe forms of corrosive injury,” he explained.

“Immediately a total gastrectomy (complete removal of the stomach), cervical esophagostomy (surgical redirection of the esophagus), draining transabdominal esophagostomy and a feeding jejunostomy (a procedure to allow nutrition through the small intestine) were carried out. These interventions took six hours and were necessary to manage the perforated stomach and prevent further complications,” Dr. Naik said.

Subsequently, the patient remained on ventilator support for six days and after careful post-surgical monitoring and ward-based management, he was discharged in stable condition.

Director of S.S. Narayana Super Speciality Centre Sunil Bhandarigal said that the successful surgery was made possible through the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team of medical professionals.

Led by Dr. Naik, the operating team included Nagaraja N. and Jayanth M., Chirag Babu P.S., Jayashree Patil, Anu, Kiran B.R., Vishwas G.K., Narendra S.S., Ganesh B.S. and Dr. Dileep C.N.