Pune teen critically injured as scooter stand penetrates neck in bus accident, docs successfully remove it

The youth was critically injured when the stand of the scooter he was riding penetrated through his jaw and got stuck in his neck after being hit by a bus on Tuesday night.

In a dramatic rescue, a 19-year-old youth survived a life-threatening accident on Paud Road near Vanaz, Pune,thanks to the timely intervention of the fire brigade, a local mechanic, and skilled surgeons. The youth was critically injured when the stand of the scooter he was riding penetrated through his jaw and got stuck in his neck after being hit by a bus on Tuesday night.

Fire brigade personnel found the injured youth lying under a tempo with his scooter beside him. Unable to speak or move, he was in a dire state. The quick-thinking fire officers brought in a mechanic from a nearby garage to help separate the iron stand from the scooter.

"An ambulance had arrived by the time the mechanic removed the stand from the scooter. We took the boy, with the stand stuck in his neck, to Sahyadri Hospitals in the Deccan Gymkhana area," said fire officer Gajanan Pathrudkar in a TOI report.

Dr. Jaisingh Shinde, a general surgeon at Sahyadri Hospitals, described the severity of the injuries. "When he was brought to the emergency room, he was conscious but holding the two-wheeler’s main stand embedded in his neck. The rod had penetrated approximately six inches into his right neck, causing extensive damage," he told the publication.

The youth was coughing up blood due to severe damage to a major vessel in his mouth. To prevent the blood from entering his lungs, doctors made him sit upright. Despite the severe pain, he managed to keep the rod in place upon arrival. His blood pressure and oxygen levels remained stable, and fortunately, his spine was not injured.

An X-ray revealed that the rod had caused significant injuries to his oesophagus, larynx, and a major blood vessel in his tongue. The doctors quickly performed a four-hour surgery, which included a tracheostomy to aid breathing, repairing damaged muscles and bones, fixing the torn larynx, and addressing severe bleeding from the lingual artery.

Dr. Vinod Gore, another surgeon involved in the procedure, reported that the patient was initially kept in the ICU for four days and will soon be moved to a regular room. "He currently has feeding and breathing tubes in place, which will be reassessed and removed once his wounds are healed. This process is expected to take about 15-20 days."

The collaborative efforts of the fire brigade, local mechanic, and medical team were crucial in saving the young man's life, highlighting the importance of quick response and skilled intervention in emergency situations.