KARACHI: Doctors at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) have successfully operated on a 12-year-old boy after a bullet became lodged in his heart, in a rare and highly complicated cardiac procedure.
The child suffered an accidental gunshot injury in Khuzdar, Balochistan, before being brought to Karachi for specialised treatment.
Doctors found that the bullet had penetrated his chest and become lodged in the heart, creating an immediate risk to his life.
A specialist surgical team at NICVD subsequently removed the projectile and repaired the cardiac injury.
The procedure was described as particularly challenging because of the location of the bullet and the danger of potentially fatal bleeding during its removal.
The boy survived the operation and was reported to be recovering following surgery.
The case highlights the increasingly complex cardiac procedures being performed at NICVD, one of Pakistan’s principal public-sector specialist cardiovascular centres.