An act of tomfoolery in a swimming pool nearly proved fatal for a native of Junagadh. Jagdish Chavda (26) plunged into a pool with mava, which is a blend of lime, tobacco and betelnut. The stunt left him in a life-threatening condition. According to a report, he had to be admitted to hospital, with a punctured lung, bruised windpipe, and cracked cervical collar.
Chavda went swimming with friends in Amreli when he rammed into the pool’s wall and damaged his cervical collar. The chunks of betelnut from the mava pierced through his windpipe. According to a report, Chavda was brought in an extremely critical condition and was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a trust-run HJ Doshi Hospital in Rajkot.
He was treated by Dr Brijesh Koyani, a pulmonologist, and Dr Avani Mendpara, a critical care specialist. Dr Koyani was quoted as saying, “The pieces of betelnut were stuck in his windpipe. In such a condition, it’s very difficult to save a life. The betelnut pieces had caused a severe infection in his left lung while his collarbone was also fractured.”
He was put on life-support as his oxygen level dropped alarmingly. During the video bronchoscopy, the doctors extracted eight pieces of betelnut, blood clots, and algae from the patient’s trachea, the report said.
Chavda was on the ventilator for 12 days and on oxygen support the week after, it added.
The doctors also performed complex spine surgery on the cervical collar. He was discharged last week.
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