Friday April 11, 2025
Guled Mohamud Hersi (seated, center), a 26-year-old Somali patient, sits alongside his uncle and the medical team at CARE Hospitals in Hyderabad, India, following a successful 12-hour surgery to remove a bullet lodged near his brainstem.
Mogadishu (HOL) — A 26-year-old Somali man is recovering after undergoing a rare and complex brain surgery in India to remove a bullet that had remained lodged near his brainstem for nearly two months.
Guled Mohamud Hersi, originally from Mogadishu, sustained a gunshot wound to the head from what is suspected to be a stray bullet during an incident in the Somali capital. Doctors at a local hospital were unable to remove the bullet, which was embedded approximately 3 centimetres deep in a highly sensitive area near the brainstem.
Following unsuccessful attempts in Somalia, Hersi's family arranged for him to be airlifted to Hyderabad, India. He arrived at CARE Hospitals in a comatose state, showing severe neurological symptoms, including weakness in both arms and legs.
A neurosurgical team led by Dr. Laxminadh Sivaraju, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon at CARE Hospitals, conducted the 12-hour operation.
"This was an extraordinarily rare and high-risk case," Dr. Sivaraju said. "The bullet was located in one of the most critical regions of the brain. Our team had to plan meticulously to remove it without damaging nearby vessels or impairing brain function."
Despite the complexity of the procedure, no blood transfusion was needed. Within days of the surgery, Hersi began showing signs of recovery. His vital signs stabilized within 24 hours, and he regained mobility in his limbs shortly thereafter.
"When I arrived in India, I was unconscious and unsure of what lay ahead," said Hersi in a statement. "But the doctors here gave me a new life. Their care, kindness, and skill saved me."
Hersi is currently undergoing physiotherapy and is expected to make a full recovery.
Medical professionals at CARE Hospitals said the case highlights India's growing role as a destination for complex neurosurgical procedures, particularly for international patients from Africa and the Middle East.