The medical condition of Lance Naik Hanmanthappa deteriorated on Wednesday evening, said Army Research & Referral (R&R) hospital as a team of medical experts worked round the clock to save the brave soldier who was rescued six days after being buried under an avalanche in Siachen.
The soldier of 19 Madras regiment was rescued alive on Monday night after being buried under 35 feet since the avalanche buried their camp on February 3 and was flown to Delhi on Tuesday in an Air Force aircraft.
“His condition has deteriorated despite aggressive therapy and supportive care,” the Army said in a medical bulletin.
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He also continues to be on ventilator support since admitted in the hospital on Tuesday due to continued multi-organ dysfunction.
“He continues to remain extremely critical with evidence of oxygen deprivation to the brain on CT scan. There is evidence of pneumonia in both lungs,” the bulletin added.
When rescued Hanamanthappa was found “to be conscious but drowsy and disoriented” and also “severely dehydrated, hypothermic, hypoxic, hypoglycemic and in shock.” But fortunately there was no cold exposure related frost bite or bony injuries to him.
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Officials said his condition is being closely reviewed by a specialists comprising of Critical Care specialists, senior nephrologist from R&R hospital and a panel of experts from the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Hanamanthappa’s family, wife and daughter, which hails from Koppal in Karnataka arrived in Delhi on Tuesday evening and is with him.
Meanwhile the bodies of nine other soldiers which have been recovered from the site are waiting to be the airlifted from Siachen. Officials said that bad weather has held up movement.