Goa: Man survives after doctors remove oil from lungs

A 28-year-old Goan who fell into an oil tank has got a new lease of life, thanks to a Bengaluru-based team of doctors.
Doctors from Apollo Hospitals performed a rare procedure — whole lung lavage (WLL) — which involved removing oil from his lungs.

The accident occurred on June 6, when Saish VS Khandeparkar, who owns a construction firm, was inspecting the site of a cable company in Verna industrial area. He was on the roof when labourers were changing the roof sheets. Khandeparkar happened to step on an old sheet, which gave way causing him to fall into an oil tank.
Dr Urvashi LS Kudchadkar, Khandeparkar’s fiancee, who is pursuing MS in ophthalmology, said he may have been hit on the head and lost consciousness. “That’s why even though the tank was just one-metre deep, Saish could not lift himself,” she said. He was rushed to a government hospital and was immediately put on ventilator. He was later shifted to Goa Medical College, she said.
Considering his deteriorating condition, Khanderparkar’s doctors got in touch with the chief of pulmonary and critical care, Dr Ravindra Mehta, at Apollo Hospitals, Jayanagar. On June 11, Khandeparkar was airlifted to Bengaluru and admitted to the hospital.
Dr Mehta said as part of the highly complicated procedure, which was performed on June 13 and took nine hours, they had to wash the right lung with 15 litres of saline solution and left with 10 litres.
Dr Urvashi said after being unconscious for almost 10 days, her fiancee woke up two days after the procedure. He was discharged on July 20.