Hungarian oncologist saves man by suturing lacerated heart on side street in seven minutes
An oncologist is being credited with saving a stab victim’s life by opening his chest on a footpath to suture his lacerated heart.
Dr Zsolt Dubóczki, chief physician at the National Oncology Institute in Budapest, Hungary, performed the procedure while on call with the Hungarian Air Ambulance, where he also works as a “hobby”.
“Upon arrival at the scene, the diagnosis was clear: the patient had minutes left, and the risk of being transported to the hospital could cost the patient his life,” the institute said in a statement.
With that in mind, Dr Dubóczki decided to do the repair on site — which was allowed under air rescue protocols.
“[He] opened the man’s chest right there, on the open street, without a sterile operating room background and modern machines, and sewed the beating heart back together in seven minutes,” the statement read.
The patient was stabilised and hospitalised for further care and later thanked Dr Dubóczki for saving his life.
The institute highlighted that the high degree of surgical precision and technical knowledge required in oncological surgery was a “huge advantage” in Dr Dubóczki’s work with the ambulance service.
Dr Dubóczki said: “Both oncological surgery and ambulance work are based on strict rules and the prepared team with whom we fight for life.
“The experience gained in the institute’s operating rooms directly helps the extremely fast decision-making processes, which are essential during air ambulance service.”
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