Belt in chest but treated for TB

NEW DELHI: For doctors at Indraprastha Apollo hospital, he was just another patient suffering from a complicated case of tuberculosis. After running a battery of tests, they concluded that 20-year-old Anuj Ranjan from Allahabad had a fistula an abnormal opening (passage) created due to infection in his chest cavity and needed a surgery. But they were in for a shock. While cleaning the fistula and removing the infected portion of the left lung, doctors discovered a eight-inch-long piece of leather belt lodged between the lung and the heart.



In a three-hour surgery, doctors removed four pieces of leather belt and a small piece of cloth. \"It was a routine surgery for us. We knew that he was on anti-tubercular treatment for 18 months and fistula is a known complication in such cases. While cleaning the infected portion in the chest I pulled out a small piece of leather and minutes later, I pulled out a long piece of leather belt,\'\' said Dr KK Pandey, senior consultant, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, who operated upon Anuj 10 days ago.



Anuj\'s parents, too, were shocked to learn about the doctor\'s discovery as their son had never undergone a surgery before. \"I couldn\'t believe that a piece of belt was taken out from my son\'s chest. How did it enter his body in the first place? The doctors too couldn\'t understand,\'\' said VK Srivastava, Anuj\'s father.



But Anuj, who is now recuperating, said the belt entered his body four years back when he met with a road accident. \"I was riding pillion with my friend when we met with an accident. I was hit by a scooter which was coming from behind and its kick entered my abdomen from the left side. The belt must have entered my body then. I was taken to Allahabad Medical College where doctors stitched up the wound,\'\' said Anuj, who initially didn\'t believe the doctors when told about the piece of belt retrieved from his chest.



Weeks after the accident, Anuj developed high grade fever, chest pain and breathlessness, and was put on anti-tubercular treatment. \"His X-ray reports showed patches in the left lung as the leather belt was lodged near the lung and rest of the symptoms were similar to the ones seen in TB patients. He was treated for TB for 18 months,\'\' said Dr Pandey.



But as there was no relief, his parents consulted doctors in Lucknow, where he was taken for surgery as pus had collected in his chest cavity, resulting in a fistula. \"But doctors couldn\'t operate on him as his respiration rate was low. The infection was also fast spreading to his second lung,\'\' said Anuj\'s father.



According to Dr Pandey, \"We also couldn\'t imagine a foreign body inside him as his X-ray showed a huge patch in the left lung indicating a diseased organ. It was only on the operation table did we discover the foreign body. But the way the leather belt entered his body is bizarre. The impact of the accident must have been major and doctors missed it when they stitched up the wound.\'\'



All set to go home, Anuj hopes to get back to normal life. \"I have wasted four years of my life. I wish doctors had located this leather piece earlier. But now I\'m hopeful that I can strike back,\'\' said Anuj.
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