Doctors save girl by removing arrow from her brain

Agartala, Jan 16 (PTI) An 18-year-old tribal girl ofTripura got a new lease of life through a rare surgery tobring out an arrow pierced her brain by a team of doctors inKolkata, family sources said today.

A 28-cm long arrow with four mm diameter, shot by hisyounger brother to kill birds, abruptly hit Itu Rani Jamatia,a class X11 student on January 6 last at Bishramganj, about 35KM from here, and was shifted to a private hospital in Kolkatathe next day.

About 19cm of the arrow entered her left eye andhit the brain, said neurosurgeon Asis Kumar Bhattacharyya, wholed the team of doctors.

"This is a rare operation. Only six such operationswere successful in the world and two in our country," saidBhattacharya, Director at the National Neurosciences Centre inKolkata.

The operation was held on January 11 last and shewould be released soon, though she had lost her vision of theleft eye, the doctor said.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar visited thehospital to see the patient and expressed his good wishes forher speedy recovery yesterday.