Barracuda attacks have been reported in the Maldives before, with several victims succumbing to injuries due to lack of specialised medical care.
KOCHI: A Maldivian national, who suffered critical injuries in an attack by a barracuda fish during a fishing expedition in his home nation, was airlifted to Kochi and successfully treated by Amrita Hospital.
The 32-year-old was was collecting sea cucumbers from the ocean floor at night in the Maldives when he was attacked by the barracuda fish. Its powerful bite caused severe injuries to his spinal cord and vertebrae at the back of his neck.
Initially, he was rushed to a hospital in the Maldives, where doctors assessed the severity of his condition. In view of the critical nature of his injuries, he was immediately airlifted to Amrita Hospital in Kochi for advanced treatment.
Medical experts discovered that the barracuda’s sharp teeth had deeply penetrated his spinal cord, leading to paralysis of his left arm and leg. Further tests revealed that more than 10 fragments of the fish’s teeth were embedded in his spinal cord.
A highly-complex surgery was performed by a team of doctors led by Dr Sajesh Menon and Dr Dalwin Thomas from the neurosurgery department to remove the embedded teeth and repair the damage.
Following the successful procedure, the patient was moved to the ward for recovery. Doctors described the spinal surgery as extremely rare and challenging.
Barracuda attacks have been reported in the Maldives before, with several victims succumbing to injuries due to lack of specialised medical care.
Speaking about the ordeal, the patient’s brother said the family was deeply worried about his survival due to the severity of the injuries. He also expressed immense gratitude towards the doctors at Amrita Hospital.
