Oncologist explains how he saved 26-year-old man after 5-foot iron rod pierced his belly and came out of back: ‘Miracle’ | Health
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Arpit Bansal, a laparoscopic surgeon and oncologist at Jeevan Jyoti Hospital, Prayagraj, shared details of how a 26-year-old construction worker suffered a miraculous survival after a five-foot iron rod went through his abdomen, entering from the front and exiting from the back. Also read | Orthopaedic surgeon explains ‘real reason a healthy 29-year-old woman who never touched alcohol’ had grade 3 fatty liver
‘Such trauma is rare and typically life-threatening’
Fortunately, the rod narrowly missed his spinal cord and major blood vessels, but caused multiple small intestine perforations. A multidisciplinary team of surgeons, including gastrointestinal, vascular, and plastic surgeons, worked together to perform emergency surgery.
Dr Bansal said, “In a nightmare-style accident, a 26-year-old male construction worker was brought to the emergency room with a five-foot iron rod driven through his abdomen, penetrating the front to the back of his body. The rod had entered his mid-abdominal region and protruded out of his lower back. Such trauma is exceedingly rare and typically life-threatening.”
The rod was carefully removed, and the surgeons repaired the damaged intestine, resecting a portion of the jejunum and suturing other perforations. Dr Bansal said, “A CT scan mapped the rod’s trajectory. In a stroke of luck, it had narrowly missed his spinal cord and major blood vessels. However, multiple small intestine perforations were evident. Without immediate surgery, infection and sepsis would have been inevitable.”
He explained, “The trauma team assembled gastrointestinal, vascular, and plastic surgeons. The rod was left in place until surgery — pulling it out prematurely could have unleashed fatal bleeding. In the operating room, after a large incision, the rod was carefully withdrawn under direct vision. The surgeons found approximately 15 perforations in the small intestine. One 10 cm jejunal segment was resected, while the other perforations were sutured. Thorough cleaning of the abdominal cavity prevented infection.”
‘Most significant risks were hemorrhage and sepsis’
The patient’s youth, good immunity, and targeted postoperative care, including nutritional support and physiotherapy, contributed to his remarkable recovery, the doctor shared. He added, “The most significant risks were hemorrhage and sepsis. Cautious planning allowed the surgeons to manage bleeding, repair bowel trauma, and debride contaminated tissues along the tract of the rod. Having an available multidisciplinary team ensured any unexpected vascular or reconstructive requirement could be corrected immediately.”
After a 10-day hospital stay, the man was back on his feet within a month and has remained healthy and active for three years. This rare and potentially life-threatening injury highlights the importance of precision surgery, collaboration, and timely trauma care.
‘It was a sheer miracle of survival’
Dr Bansal said, “Miraculously, the young man survived and recovered well. He was in hospital for 10 days and back on his legs within a month. His youth and good immunity were a help. He had targeted nutritional care postoperatively, Vitamin D and C supplementation, and physiotherapy.”
He added, “Now, three years down the line, he is perfectly healthy and completely active. This case highlights the force of precision surgery, collaboration, and early trauma care. Impalement injuries are very rare in the medical literature, and survival with minimal disability is even rarer. In this patient, it was a sheer miracle of survival.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
