Saving a woman who was shot through her heart with a bullet

26/05/2020 08:36

While rowing with family on a lake, Mrs. T. T. S (39 years old) suddenly was shot by a bullet through her heart. The patient was then urgently transferred to hospital for emergency.

39 years old patient, was shot by a bullet through her heart is currently recovering after having surgery on emergency performed by Viet Duc University Hospital’ doctors, removed the bullet.

 

Viet Duc University Hospital has saved life for a female patient who was shot through heart by bullet, causing complicated wounds. 1 week after surgery, patient is recovering, and able to sit up and eat.

 

Patient names T.T.S (at Luc Ngan district, Bac Giang) was admitted to hospital on April 30 with a follow-up diagnosis of complicated heart wound by gunshot. In the morning of the same day, while she was with her family on a boat trip on Cam Son lake (Luc Ngan district, Bac Giang province), adjacent to the territory of Lang Son province, Mrs. S. was suddenly shot by a bullet in her left chest, suspected to be a bullet from a gun for bird hunting.

 

She was taken to an emergency at Lang Son General Hospital with severe acute cardiac tamponade due to bleeding from a heart wound. Here, the doctors gave emergency care by draining the pericardium and actively resuscitating, then transferred to Viet Duc University Hospital (Ha Noi).

 

At Viet Duc University Hospital, doctors conducted the necessary tests, identifying the patient with a left chest injury, the object gone through chest wall then go through her heart to the back, and stopped close to the front of chest aorta. Patient with manifestations of hemothorax and left pneumothorax, right pleural effusion, hydroceles, … To treat this complex injury, it is imperative that cardiac surgery with emergency external circulation.

 

Ass. Prof. Nguyen Huu Uoc, Director of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Center (Viet Duc University Hospital), surgical team leader said: “Fortunately, patient was taken to emergency immediately and treated properly, so she had the opportunity to go to Viet Duc University Hospital to have a thorough surgical treatment”.

 

The doctors assessed, with patient S., bullet wound causing heart damage is very complicated. Doctors removed an object that was a lead bullet like an airgun bullet for hunting birds; perform 2 valves shape, stitching heart’s tear holes, cleaning and draining both left and right pleural cavities.

 

Dr. Nguyen Kim Dan, Deputy chef of Intensive Care of Cardiovascular and Thoracic, Viet Duc University Hospital, said 2 days after surgery, patient was awake, communicable, stable hemodynamics, normal test parameters; supported by low-dose heart medication. Patient is recovering.

 

 

 

 

 

Constantly having cases injured heart area caused by bullet from shotguns

Prof. Uoc shares, yearly, doctors from Cardiovascular and Thoracic Center perform thounds of open heart and laparoscopic surgery, heart transplant, lung transplant, thoracic surgery, …

Remarkable, according to Prof. Uoc, particularly for chest wounds caused by airgun bullets, within the first 4 days of May, the center received treatment for 3 patients who were all shot in the left chest with lead bullets of airguns”.

Besides patient S., this center had received 2 other cases which are a pediatric 14 years old (from Mu Cang Chai District, Yen Bai province) and 1 young man 28 years old (from Cau Giay Ward, Ha Noi). 2 patients have recovered after Video –Assisted Thoracotomy surgery to remove foreign objects and treat left lung wound.

Prof. Uoc mentioned: “Above occurances needed to be warned about accidents using gun for hunting birds during pandemic season Covid-19”.

 

Theo PV Liên Châu/Báo Thanh niên