Mangaluru, 30 July: The timely intervention of alert bus passengers, the bus crew and the Emergency Department at KMC Hospital, Mangaluru, helped save the life of a fellow traveller who suffered a seizure while on board a private bus. Their swift response ensured the patient received immediate medical attention, leading to a full recovery and discharge after a few days of treatment.
Mr. Kishan (name changed), who was travelling alone in a private bus, suddenly became unresponsive after experiencing a seizure during the journey. During the episode, he fell inside the moving bus, sustaining a painful dislocation of his right shoulder. Recognising the seriousness of the situation, the bus driver, conductor and fellow passengers immediately diverted the bus to the Emergency Department at KMC Hospital, Mangaluru, ensuring that valuable time was not lost.
On arrival at the Emergency Department, Mr. Kishan was restless and was immediately evaluated by the emergency medicine team. Doctors identified that he had experienced a seizure and had sustained a right shoulder dislocation during the fall. He was promptly administered anti-seizure medication, following which the emergency team successfully performed a closed reduction to relocate the dislocated shoulder. After being stabilised, he was admitted under the Department of Neurology for further investigations, observation and treatment. Over the next few days, he recovered well without further complications and was discharged in a stable condition.
Dr. Jeedhu Radhakrishnan, Cluster Head – Emergency Medicine, KMC Hospital, Mangaluru, said, “Seizures can sometimes result in falls and traumatic injuries, as seen in this case with the shoulder dislocation. Timely treatment helped us stabilise him quickly and initiate the right course of care. Equally important was the prompt action of the bus driver, conductor and fellow passengers. Their decision to bring him to the hospital without delay significantly improved his chances of a safe recovery.”
It is also advised that during a seizure, people should avoid restraining the individual or placing anything inside their mouth. Instead, they should protect the person from injury, turn them onto their side once the seizure subsides, and seek immediate medical attention, especially if it is a first-time seizure, lasts longer than five minutes, or results in an injury.
The incident serves as a reminder that simple acts of kindness and quick thinking can have a life-saving impact. In emergencies, every minute counts, and the willingness to help can make all the difference.