Hyderabad: The 17-year-old who survived an attempt on her life by a stalker on February 6, now weighs only 37 kg after having undergone multiple surgeries to save her life. The teen was discharged from a corporate hospital on Wednesday.
The teen had been attacked by one Chitkuri Bharath, 19, who stabbed her 15 times at Satyanarayana Nagar, Barkatpura, just yards from her home, for rejecting his advances. Speaking to mediapersons, the teen said Bharath must be given the harshest of punishments.
The young girl is worried about her approaching Intermediate exams, as her condition needs to improve. She needs good nutrition and rest to be able to move out again. While she is able to walk, she is also fatigued due to the trauma. There are fractures to her hands which will heal only after 20 days. She will have to visits hospital for consultations every week for three months.
She had no pulse or blood pressure due to the very heavy loss of blood when she was admitted at the hospital. She was given 20 units of blood and doctors could not operate on her for 36 hours as they waited for her pulse and blood pressure to be stabilised.
Dr G. Vijay Kumar, chief operating officer, explained, “There were 15 deep cuts on her body on the neck, hand, face, upper limbs and back. A skull fracture and traumatic brain injury with the brain fluid leaking also had to be rectified. A team of emergency specialists, neuro and vascular surgeons worked together on her once she was stabilised.”
There were multiple surgeries performed for skull fracture fragment removal, revascularization of the amputated little finger, debridement and structuring of muscle depth injuries. According to senior doctors, the patient suffered from septicaemia due to the various injuries leading to open wounds, causing infection in the blood. "Controlling the infection and ensuring no further infection from the hospital was a priority as she had already undergone multiple surgeries and was on a high dose of medication," explained a senior doctor.
The teen underwent counselling as the mental trauma that she has suffered from the attack has left her shaken. She was in the hospital for 15 days and the treatment cost is estimated to be Rs 15 lakh. The hospital has got Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and some amounts are being waived due to the nature of the attack.
