Neurosurgeon to find best way to remove bullet from 10-year-old boy

IPOH: Doctors are deliberating the best way to remove a bullet that is precariously lodged between the joint of Mohd Amar Mohd Azizi’s skull and neck.

The 10-year-old was shot when a police officer accidentally discharged his pistol while cleaning it on Monday.

The injury is so rare and risky that opinions are being sought from specialists all over the country on the best approach.

Yesterday, state Health Committee chairman Nolee Ashilin Mohamed Radzi said the 10-year-old would be dead had the bullet landed 1cm away from the wound.

She said it was fortunate the bullet had not injured any of his vital organs.

"He is definitely a lucky boy. His condition is stable. He can still talk, eat and walk like a normal child,” she said at a press conference after visiting Mohd Amar at the Raja Per­maisuri Bainun Hospital here yesterday.

Nolee Ashilin said she was surprised when she learned he could still run home to seek help after being hit by the bullet which entered his head through the right side of his nose.

Mohd Amar was injured while the police officer next door accidentally discharged his pistol while cleaning the firearm in Kampung Belanja Kiri, Parit.

The officer, who is with the CID at the Taiping district police headquarters, was about 40m away from the boy when he dismantled the pistol.

Nolee Ashilin said the specialists were in the midst of deciding the most suitable surgery to remove the bullet.

Neurosurgeon Dr Cheang Chee Keong said he would get the opinion from specialists all over the country before carrying out the procedure.

He said he had never come across such a rare case.

If need be, we will get specialists from other states to come over to assist us.

“We need to make sure that the process of removing the bullet does not hurt the spinal cord or arteries around it,” he said.

Dr Cheang hoped the surgery, which would be risky, could be carried out by tomorrow.