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'Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was buried under 35-ft of ice'
February 09, 2016
The full text of the Health bulletin issued by the Army Hospital Research and Referral (R&R) in New Delhi today:
L/Nk
Hanamanthappa K of 19 MADRAS, was buried under 35 ft of ice and snow
at 20500 ft for five days since the avalanche at Siachen on 03 Feb 16.
He was rescued from the site on 08 Feb 16.
On recovery, he was found
to be conscious but drowsy and disoriented.
He was severely
dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock. He was
immediately resuscitated by the doctors at the site, who had been there
for the past five days in the hope of a survivor. He was treated with
warm intravenous fluids, humidified warm oxygen and passive external
rewarming.
He was flown out from the site on 09 Feb 16 by helicopter
along with a Medical Specialist to the Siachen base camp, from where he
was brought to the Thois air base. He was then transferred to Delhi
by a fixed wing aircraft of the IAF along with a Critical Care
Specialist of the IAF and Medical Specialist from the Siachen Base
Camp.
He is currently comatose and continues to be in shock with low
blood pressure. He has pneumonia and his investigations have revealed
liver and kidney dysfunction. Fortunately there was no cold exposure
related frost bite or bony injuries to him. He is being treated by a
team of intensivists, neurologist, nephrologist, endocrinologist and
surgeons.
He has been treated with fluids, drugs to bring up his blood
pressure and antibiotics. He has been placed on a ventilator to
protect his airway and lungs in view of his comatose state.
He remains
extremely critical and is expected to have a stormy course in the next
24 to 48 hrs due to the complications caused by re warming and
establishment of blood flow to the cold parts of the body.
General
Dalbir Singh, COAS visited Army Hospital Research and Referral
(R&R) today and commended the brave heart for his indomitable mental
robustness and his refusal to give in to harsh elements of nature.
He
also conveyed best wishes on behalf of all ranks of the Army for his
early and complete recovery.
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