How bad were Saif Ali Khan’s injuries? Actor walking home raises doubts about severity

Hyderabad: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s recovery after six stab injuries has become a talking point in medical, social and political circles. The actor seen walking back home five days after the knife attack has led to doubts on the ‘grievousness’ of his injuries

Saif Ali Khan was discharged from Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, on Tuesday afternoon. The video of him walking back home after the reported spinal fluid leak from the stabbing has raised doubts about whether he was injured near the spinal cord.

According to doctors at the hospital, Saif Ali Khan suffered two injuries on hand, one in the neck, stab wounds on the body and a deep knife injury near the spinal cord.

It was 2 mm away from the spinal cord, they said.

According to the doctors, there was also a spinal cord fluid leak for which Saif Ali Khan had to undergo surgery.

How long does it take to recover from a spinal cord injury?

The definition of a spinal cord injury has become a hot topic of discussion among doctors across the nation after the video of Saif emerged walking home.

The spinal cord has multiple nerves connected to the central nervous system of the body. An injury near or close to the spinal cord is considered a very serious injury as it can damage the nerves or even the cartilage of the bones.

Dr Koteshwara Prasad V, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, said, “It is miraculous to see Saif Ali Khan walking and being so fit after such a serious injury, as reported. Injuries in and around the spinal cord take a minimum of 15 days to recover and most of the time patients are asked to lie in bed so that the body can heal on its own assisted by the medicines.”

The rehabilitation protocols include making a person walk with the help of a walker, helping them gain balance followed by physiotherapy. All these aspects are time-consuming.

What exactly did doctors at Lilavati Hospital say?

Although there was no official press statement by the Lilavati Hospital, an official statement from the Saif Ali Khan team said that he had undergone surgery and was out of danger. The team thanked Dr Niraj Uttamani, chief executive officer of Lilavati Hospital, Dr Nitin Dange and Dr Leena Jain for the treatment.

All these doctors have been quoted in the media saying, “Saif Ali Khan walked into the hospital like a lion, covered in blood. There was blood all over but he recovered well.”

Political twist to Saif walking after surgery

On the topic of the video of Saif Ali Khan walking home after being discharged, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, in a statement to the media on Wednesday, said, “We are not against Saif Ali Khan’s family. We pray that he and his family remain safe. However, the way doctors spoke about the incident in the public domain raises questions. The auto driver said the actor was bleeding profusely when he was brought to the hospital. They said a 2.5-inch piece of knife was lodged inside Saif Ali Khan’s back. The doctor said the operation took six hours. Is it possible for someone to get discharged from the hospital in four days after all that?”

“Saif Ali Khan was in such a fit condition. I know that Saif Ali Khan is physically very fit, and goes to the gym regularly but is his immune system so strong that he can recover in four days?” the Shiv Sena leader asked.

The Mumbai Police apprehended the attacker in Thane city on Sunday. They identified him as 30-year-old Bangladeshi resident Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad. He was later presented before a metropolitan magistrate’s court that same afternoon.

Were the doctors’ words misinterpreted?

Doctors in medical circles are debating whether the reports and the videos released by Lilavati doctors were misinterpreted. If the injuries were so serious, such as quick recovery is nothing short of a ‘miracle’, said many doctors.

Some are also of the opinion that the wounds were not as major as they were made out to be, and that could be the reason for a quick recovery.

While everyone wants Saif Ali Khan and his family to be safe, doubts regarding interpretations of the extent of Saif Ali Khan’s injuries, especially after seeing the actor walk home, have left more questions than answers.