๐ฉ Ex-Punjab Police IG Amar Singh Chahal out of danger: Park Hospital, Patiala
Patiala, 24 December – Newsline Express – Park Hospitalย ย successfully saved the life of Ex-Punjab Police IG Amar Singh Chahal who was brought to the emergency department with a self-inflicted gunshot injury to the chest. The patient had a bullet entry wound on the left side of the chest and an exit wound on the back, leading to massive blood loss of approximately 1.5 litres.
His life was saved by a multidisciplinary medical team led by CTVS Surgeon Dr. Sidharth Garg, with critical anaesthesia management by Dr. Arjun Pratap Joshi and surgical support from Dr. Gurjot Singh. The complex 3โ4 hours emergency surgery involved repair of the torn lung and stabilisation of chest wall fractures.
Dr. Sidharth Garg, stated that survival rates in chest gunshot injuries are generally only 30โ40 percent, depending on the severity and extent of internal damage. In this case, doctors noted that the family made a timely and crucial decision to bring the patient to the nearest super-specialty hospital instead of shifting him to a distant higher centre in Chandigarh, which played a significant role in saving his life. Prompt resuscitation and immediate emergency care further contributed to the successful outcome. On arrival, the patient was in a critical condition and was immediately shifted to the ICU, where life-saving resuscitation and intubation were carried out. An Intercostal Drain (ICD) was urgently inserted by General Surgeon Dr. Gurjot Singh. A diagnostic CT scan was conducted to assess the extent of injuries, following which the patient was taken for emergency surgery. As all routine operation theatres were occupied, a special operation theatre was prepared on an emergency basis, demonstrating Park Hospitalโs ability to respond swiftly to complex trauma cases.
During surgery, doctors found multiple rib fractures and a large tear in the left lung. The bullet had passed dangerously close to the heart and major blood vessels, making the procedure extremely high-risk. The surgery was further complicated by extensive lung damage and severe blood loss. Post-operatively, the patient was kept on ventilator support in the CTVS ICU for two days, after which he was successfully extubated.
At present, the patient is stable, off ventilator support, and is taking a soft diet. Doctors expect complete recovery within about one week. Speaking on the incident, Col. Rajul Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, Park Hospital, Patiala, said that the 450-bed hospital, with 150 ICU beds, is equipped with advanced trauma and critical care infrastructure, modular operation theatres, and dedicated CTVS and ICU facilities. He highlighted that round-the-clock availability of specialised medical teams, combined with a coordinated multidisciplinary approach and timely emergency response, was key to managing this life-threatening case successfully.
Doctors at Park Hospital added that such high-risk, life-saving surgeries are possible only in a comprehensive tertiary-care setup, where advanced infrastructure, modern technology, and expert teams are available 24ร7. Medical data indicates that mortality rates in chest gunshot injuries range from approximately 14% to 37% among patients who reach the hospital, depending on the severity of injury and the speed and quality of medical intervention. Hospital officials emphasised that timely arrival, rapid diagnosis, advanced surgical expertise, and comprehensive critical care played a decisive role in saving the patientโs life in this high-risk case.
Park Hospital, Patiala reiterated its commitment to providing advanced emergency and trauma care, in line with its motto โ โEvery Life Matters.โ
Newsline Expressย
