RGGGH doctors remove 10 cm-long twig from man’s eye, restore his vision

When Mahesh Kumar (name changed), 33, was referred to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (

When Mahesh Kumar (name changed), 33, was referred to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) with complaints of vision loss and bulging of eye due to the presence of a foreign object, little did the team of doctors expect that they will be removing a 10-cm-long twig that was pressing on the optic nerve. In an endoscopic naso-orbital procedure, doctors removed the twig, thereby restoring the vision in his left eye.

Mr. Kumar, a resident of Vandalur, was injured when he fell from his two-wheeler into a bush on November 21. He was rushed to the Government Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital where he received first aid. He was referred to the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology and Government Ophthalmic Hospital (RIO-GOH), Egmore, after he experienced bulging of the left eye, according to doctors.

The patient had blurred vision, and subsequently loss of vision. At RIO-GOH, MRI scan revealed that there was a foreign object that was pressing on the optic nerve. “The patient was unaware of the injury as he fell unconscious following the accident. When his eye started bulging, he was referred to the RIO-GOH. We, at RGGGH’s ENT department, have been performing endoscopic procedures and the patient was referred to us,” M.N. Shankar, professor of ENT, RGGGH, said.

“The object was found to extend from the front to the back of the orbit impinging on the optic nerve and other nerves producing movements of the eyeball. It was pressing on the optic nerve of the left eye and was pushing the eye out of the socket. An endoscopic naso-orbital procedure was performed. We were, in fact, shocked when we removed the twig measuring 10 cm,” he said.

The procedure, which was performed on December 2, helped in restoring his vision, Dr. Shankar said.

E. Theranirajan, dean of RGGGH, said the team of doctors, including ENT surgeons and anaethetists, meticulously planned and executed the endoscopic procedure.