KARACHI: A team of experts at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) successfully performed a complex and life-saving cardiac surgery on a 12-year-old child from Khuzdar, Balochistan, who was brought to the facility in a critical condition, with a bullet lodged inside his heart.

The NICVD staff shared that the child sustained an accidental gunshot wound in Khuzdar city and was initially rushed to local hospitals.

“However, due to the exceptionally critical nature of his condition and the complexity of the injury, he could not receive the required specialised cardiac treatment there. He was subsequently shifted to Karachi and taken to different hospitals. All declined to treat him owing to his condition, requiring immediate and highly specialised cardiac intervention,” said Prof Tahir Saghir heading the NICVD, while appreciating the team on their timely and professional response.

The child was eventually brought to the NICVD paediatric emergency department, where the medical team initiated emergency assessment and treatment.

The 12-year-old suffered an accidental bullet injury in Khuzdar

“The child was brought to us in an extremely critical condition with a bullet lodged in his heart. After immediate assessment, we took the decision to perform emergency surgery without delay. It was a highly challenging and delicate procedure, but with the coordinated efforts of the entire team, the bullet was successfully removed and the child is now recovering well,” shared Prof Sohail Khan Bangash, head of paediatric cardiac surgery at the NICVD.

Initially, the boy underwent an echocardiography examination, confirming the presence of the bullet inside his heart, followed by surgery during which the damaged part of the heart was repaired and the bullet taken out.

The NICVD multi-disciplinary team led by Dr Bangash comprised Dr Saad Badar, Dr Abdul Sattar, Prof Amin Khuwaja and other healthcare staff.

After the two-hour operation, the child was shifted to the critical care unit where he is recovering well.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah paid tribute to the NICVD doctors for the rare and complicated surgery.

In a statement, he said that he was proud of the Sindh’s health infrastructure and expertise of doctors here.

He said that the provincial government is committed to providing the public with free, high-quality healthcare services.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2026