Prayers unanswered; doctor trio's 'roadside surgery' in vain, Linu dies during treatment

KOCHI: Linu (40), who was seriously injured in a road accident and underwent surgery on the road, died while undergoing treatment. It was noteworthy that young doctors performed surgery on the middle of the road to save the life of Linu, a native of Kollam, who was in a serious condition after a bike accident. He was immediately taken to a private hospital in Kochi, but he could not be saved as his injuries were serious.

The accident took place in Udayamperoor, Kochi. Three people were injured in the accident. Linu was in a critical condition called respiratory arrest due to blood and dirt entering her lungs, causing difficulty breathing. With this, the doctors decided to perform an emergency treatment called surgical cricothyrotomy, which is performed in hospital emergency rooms, on the road to relieve the shortness of breath. In the absence of the necessary medical equipment, the surgery was performed using a blade and a paper straw provided by the locals.

Dr. Thomas Peter and his wife Didiya were on their way to St. John the Baptist Church in South Paravur to celebrate Christmas after hospital duty. Shortly before they reached the church, they came across the men lying injured in an accident. One of them was standing up without serious injuries. Another was bleeding from his mouth, but he was still talking.

However, Linu's condition was critical. Blood was pouring from his face and other parts. Mathew and Didiya noticed that someone was holding his neck in a special way. From the way he was treating Linu, they both realised that he was a doctor. Realising that Linu would not survive until he reached the hospital, the three doctors performed the surgery on the roadside. The surgery was done under the light of a mobile phone. Governor Rajendra Arlekar had congratulated the doctors who performed the surgery in the emergency.