Knife removed from Dilay's body

Darjeeling : A team of six doctors today operated on Dilay Rai to retrieve the four-inch long knife blade embedded in his body for the past 26 years.

The operation was conducted for over two hours at Planter’s Hospital here though the doctors were from several hospitals.

An X-ray on Monday had revealed the existence of the knife. Rai, a dafadar (supervisor) at Orange Valley Tea Estate, had come to the hospital complaining of a pain in the chest area. The 55-year-old had then said a fellow villager had stabbed him 26 years ago and the knife had stayed inside.

“The operation was difficult as the entry point of the knife had been blocked. Two ribs had to be cut and the operation was dangerous as there could have been a respiratory failure or even a massive haemorrhage,” said Dr Debabrata Das from Darjeeling Sadar Hospital.

The knife has partially damaged the lower portion of Rai’s right lung and doctors said they are amazed as to how the garden worker went about his normal activity with the blade in his body.

Despite the hospital lacking specialised equipment, the doctors agreed to risk the operation to spare Rai the discomfort and expense.

“Operations like this are usually conducted in special cardio-thoracic unit. Here, we neither have a ventilator nor facilities for a CT scan,” said Dr P.D. Bhutia (Planter’s).

There was not even a constant X-ray monitoring machine. The team had to do with a borrowed portable one.

“Given the circumstances under which we operated him, we are relieved that it is finally over. In fact the moment the knife was retrieved, the entire team broke into a spontaneous applause inside the OT,” said Dr Bhutia.

Ever since the news of Rai’s condition was published, people from all walks had contributed for the operation.

While Upper Club Side Vehicles Owners’ Association gave Rs 2,000 to take care of Rai’s medicine, the Risheehat-Bloomfield Medical Cell — a voluntarily organisation — is trying to collect money to cover his other expenses.

The Planter’s has waived charges for bed and the various tests that were conducted before the operation.

Source: The Telegraph