Injured African student given 48 units of blood
By IANSTuesday, April 20, 2010
NEW DELHI - A citizen of the Ivory Coast, who was seriously injured in a freak accident when iron rods jutting out of a truck pierced his body, is in a critical condition, doctors said Tuesday. He has been given 48 units of blood and blood products.
“He is conscious now but is in a very serious condition,” M.C. Misha, head of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Trauma Centre, said.
“There was excessive blood loss. He was given 33 units of blood in the operation theatre Monday. He is currently in the Intensive Care Unit under ventilation. At least 15 more units of blood have been given to the patient after surgery,” added Misha, who is overseeing the situation.
His friend who was injured in the accident is in a safe condition. One iron rod had pierced his thigh and doctors said he is now absolutely stable.
Adoma, 22, and Cheick, 22, both information technology (IT) students, had a major accident when two iron rods pierced their bodies after a collision near Savitri cinema in south Delhi early Monday.
Doctors said that the truck carrying iron rods did not have indicators and these students were also speeding. Two iron rods pierced the wind screen of their car, entered Adoma’s right arm, chest and then the seat. Cheick who was sitting behind the driver’s seat was wounded on his leg by one rod that pierced through Adoma’s body.
“The rods weighing about 15 kg each had pierced through his lungs. We have removed a portion of it. The thoracic wall was also damaged,” said Amit Gupta, one of the surgeons who operated upon him.
“The operation lasted nearly four hours. But we removed the rods within an hour. The rest of the time was spent repairing the damaged body parts,” Manesh Singhal, another doctor who operated upon him, said.
Another doctor Prem Prakash said that the iron rods missed his heart and spinal cord. “This was God’s grace and was a great relief for us,” he added.
Hospital authorities said that they have already informed the Ivory Coast embassy in New Delhi.
