Indian Army doctors achieve major feat, perform appendix surgery at 16,000 feet in Ladakh

Indian Army doctors on October 28 achieved a major feat as they performed a successful appendix operation at an altitude of 16,000 feet. The Indian Army doctors successfully removed the appendix of a soldier deployed in the harsh weather conditions in Eastern Ladakh. The soldier couldn't be moved to the Army base because of the poor weather condition so the doctors of the Forward Surgical Centre (FSC) performed the emergency surgery.

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Why the operation is a major feat?

According to news agency ANI, the field hospital doctors successfully performed the surgery at freezing temperatures at the height of 16,000 feet despite facing adversities. The operation is one of the few successful surgeries performed by the Indian Army doctors at a forward post. The surgery demonstrated the Indian Army's capability of providing specialised treatments in the forward areas. The team of doctors that performed the surgery included a Colonel, a Major, and a Captain.  

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Many congratulatory messages poured in from all over India with people commending the amazing hard work of all the members involved in the critical operation. One individual explained why performing such a surgery at an altitude of 16,000 feet is difficult and a major feat. "General public may not understand why it is a big deal! To say in simple words High altitudes have Low atmospheric pressure and low oxygen concentration, All medical pieces of equipment are calibrated at sea atmosphere, so readings will be wrong and the patient has a high risk for Desaturation," the user wrote. 

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The forward areas of the Indian Army in Eastern Ladakh is one of the harshest places to serve, particularly because of the extreme weather conditions in the region. Indian Army deployment in the area has risen lately due to the border tensions between India and China since June this year. Indian Army Chief Gen M.M. Naravane recently visited the forward areas to make sure the soldiers serving there have the proper equipment to battle the extreme weather conditions amid the Chinese threat. 

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