Legendary actor Dilip Kumar on Wednesday underwent a successful pleural aspiration procedure and will be discharged tomorrow if he remains stable, Dr Jalil Parkar, the chest specialist treating the screen icon, said. The 98-year-old actor was admitted to suburban Khar-based Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility, on Sunday after he complained of breathlessness. He is currently under treatment.
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Kumar was diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion, a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs.
“A minor procedure was done on Dilip Kumar in the afternoon between 1.30-2 PM, in the presence of Dr Nitin Gokhale and myself, wherein, 350ml of pleural was aspirated. Dilip Kumar stood the procedure well. His post procedure oxygen was 100 percent,” Dr. Parkar said.
The doctor said Kumar was taken to the ICU for the procedure and will be shifted back to the ward in the evening. “If everything is alright, tomorrow he will go home,” Parkar added.
Earlier in the day, Kumar’s family friend Faisal Farooqui, took to the official Twitter account of the icon to share health update with his well wishers. “Thank you for your prayers. A successful pleural aspiration procedure was performed on Dilip Saab. I personally spoke to Dr Jalil Parkar and Dr Nitin Gokhale.
“They are optimistic that he will be discharged tomorrow (Thursday),” the update on his official Twitter handle read.
The Hindi cinema veteran, whose career spans over five decades with hits like “Mughal-e-Azam”, “Devdas”, “Naya Daur”, and “Ram Aur Shyam”, was admitted to the same hospital last month for a regular health check-up.
Kumar’s last big screen appearance was the 1998 film “Qila”.
