Saket Doctors Extract Bullet Near Ethiopian Man's Spine After Six Years

Surgeons at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket have successfully extracted a bullet lodged dangerously close to the spine of a 20-year-old Ethiopian patient, bringing relief after nearly six years.

The complex five-hour procedure was performed by a multidisciplinary medical team, led by Dr Kamran Ali, associate director of thoracic surgery and lung transplant.

The patient, Mohamed Faisal Jama, sustained the critical injury six years ago as a teenager. Jama was returning home from school when he was caught in crossfire during a local protest in Ethiopia. The bullet entered through his shoulder, passed across his chest cavity, and finally got lodged at the junction of the posterior part of a rib and the spine.

Following the incident in Ethiopia, doctors at the time decided against performing surgery to remove the bullet, citing significant risks associated with operating in such close proximity to the spine.

Although Jama’s spinal cord managed to escape direct injury, the embedded bullet continued to cause severe physical distress. Over the six years following the shooting, Jama suffered from persistent pain, tingling, and numbness. In addition to his physical symptoms, carrying the bullet caused constant anxiety over the possibility of damage to his vital organs.

With his symptoms persisting, Jama travelled to India seeking advanced medical care. Upon his arrival at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Saket, the multidisciplinary team conducted clinical and radiological assessments before deciding to undertake the demanding procedure.

The surgical team successfully removed the bullet during the five-hour operation, and Jama is now set to return to a normal life.