Yemen national gets relief after 18 years as docs in B'luru remove bullet from head
Bengaluru, Dec 12: Facing an enduring challenge of deafness, a Yemen national is now fine after 18 years, thanks to the operation he underwent in a private hospital in the city.
Doctors removed a three centimetre bullet from the head of the man.
"He has now returned to his country and is doing well," a source in the hospital told PTI.
The Yemen national found himself caught in the crossfire. Shot in the head during a harrowing incident, he became an unwitting casualty of war, left to navigate a life marred by unrelenting suffering, Aster RV Hospital, where he was operated upon, said in a statement.
The bullet was deeply lodged in the left temporal bone, very close to the vital vascular structures, which posed a surgical challenge, according to the hospital.
The team of ENT surgeons led by Dr Rohit Udaya Prasad along with Dr Vinayak Kurle successfully removed a three centimetre long bullet from the ear of Yemeni patient who had been living with the foreign object for an astonishing 18 years, the hospital said.
The surgical team faced obstacles in obtaining clear imaging due to the bullet's location, said the hospital, adding, MRI was ruled out because of a metal object inside his head. Further, CT Angiography was done to identify the bullet along with its proximity to the vascular structures.
Doctors also employed X-ray imaging which provided a two-dimensional perspective. The decision to explore the possibility of removal was made, considering the patient's persistent symptoms.
The surgery was done under general anesthesia carefully removing the surrounding bone to access the bullet. The doctors discovered a fibrous capsule around the bullet, preventing it from adhering to vital structures. This allowed them to successfully remove the bullet in one piece, the hospital said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Groundwater depletion causes Earth's axis to shift by 31.5 inches: Study
A recent study has uncovered a significant impact of human activity on the planet: Earth's axis has shifted by 31.5 inches (nearly 80 centimeters) due to extensive groundwater extraction. Published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the research highlights how large-scale pumping of groundwater has changed the distribution of Earth's mass, affecting its rotation and contributing to sea-level rise. The shift in Earth's tilt is linked to a sea-level increase of 0.24 inches, according to Popular Mechanics.
Lead researcher Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University, explained that among climate-related factors, the redistribution of groundwater has had the most significant effect on the movement of Earth's rotational pole. The planet's tilt, or axial precession, is influenced by changes in mass distribution. As glaciers and polar ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica melt, water migrates towards the equator, shifting the planet's balance—a phenomenon comparable to how a figure skater’s spin changes when they alter their body position.
The study examined data from 1993 to 2010, revealing that approximately 2,150 gigatons of groundwater were pumped out during this time, largely for agricultural and human consumption. This large-scale extraction has contributed to a shift in Earth's axis of about 31.5 inches.
Groundwater, which is water stored underground in soil and rock, plays a crucial role in the hydrological cycle. It originates from precipitation that seeps into the earth, replenishing natural aquifers. These aquifers are vital freshwater resources, supporting drinking water supplies, agriculture, and industry. The availability and quality of groundwater depend on natural factors like recharge rates and human activity.
While the 31.5-inch shift in Earth's axis might seem minor, the consequences could be far-reaching over geological timescales. Changes in water distribution can lead to varying sea-level changes across regions, affecting coastal areas differently. Additionally, shifts in Earth's tilt can influence its internal systems, such as the magnetic field, which acts as a shield against harmful solar radiation.
