I thought I lost my voice forever: Karnataka youth survives devastating throat injury

Balu Durgappa Myegiri with (from left) Therapist Zainab Nagree, Laryngologist Dr Nupur Kapoor Nerurkar, and Robotic Oncosurgeon Dr Rakesh Katna after his successful treatment. Pics/Ritika Gondhalekar

A routine trip to the market turned into a nightmare for 22-year-old Balu Durgappa Myegiri from Karnataka after a road accident on March 21 left him with severe throat injuries.

Crash memory

"I thought I lost my voice forever," recalled Myegiri. "My friend was riding the bike, and I was the pillion. Suddenly, a car coming from the opposite direction tried to overtake a truck and collided with our bike. The handlebar hit my throat very badly."

Balu's mother, Draupadi Myegiri

Emergency transfer

He was first taken to a hospital in Belgaum, where Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr Arvind Umarani found his neck injury to be extremely severe and referred him to Bombay Hospital in Mumbai. On arrival, doctors inserted a feeding tube to provide nutrition and performed a tracheostomy to help him breathe safely and reduce the risk of aspiration.

Robotic repair

Balu Durgappa Myegiri, the patient

Doctors carried out a robotic-assisted endoscopic laryngeal reconstruction as Myegiri's injuries were particularly complex. His entire larynx had multiple tears, making the anatomy difficult to comprehend. Tears between the epiglottis and vocal folds prevented proper placement of the scope for surgical repair. A stabilising epiglottic stitch helped achieve exposure.

Doctor Speak

Dr Nupur Kapoor Nerurkar, laryngologist and voice surgeon, Bombay Hospital
‘The impact caused a cleft between his voice box and food pipe, along with interarytenoid and aryepiglottic tears. Saliva continuously entered his airway instead of the food pipe, making swallowing impossible and creating a constant risk of aspiration. Air also escaped into the neck tissues, creating a life-threatening condition.'

Dr Rakesh Katna, consultant head-neck and robotic oncosurgeon, Bombay Hospital
‘An epiglottic stitch was used to create enough space for the robotic arms, whose magnification and 360-degree movement enabled precise repair of the complex injury. While Myegiri's treatment is being carried out at Bombay Hospital, the robotic surgery was performed at Tieten Medicity Hospital in Thane, as Bombay Hospital is still procuring robotic surgery equipment.

Following the surgery, Myegiri is undergoing swallowing and speech rehabilitation under Therapist Zainab Nagree. The treatment yielded excellent results. The feeding tube and tracheostomy have been removed. He can eat a normal diet, breathe comfortably, and has started speaking slowly without pain. He has also regained five kilograms that he had lost due to poor food intake.'

Mother relieved

Draupadi Myegiri
‘I thought my son would never be able to eat or talk again. I had lost hope after being told his entire vocal system was compromised. It is a miracle that medical science has advanced so much, and doctors can repair such damage. Seeing him talk, eat, and gain weight has brought our hope back.'