Man in North Cotabato finds 4-inch knife lodged in his chest after 14 months

A 25-year-old man from Kidapawan, North Cotabato, found a 4- to 6-inch knife lodged in his back after getting his X-ray result.

There are about four million Filipinos that are unemployed, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Kent shared on a “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” episode on Sunday that he underwent several laboratory tests to apply for a job at a mining company in Agusan del Sur.

As part of the application process, he had to undergo medical exams, including drug test, CBC, and X-ray.

Kent said all of his tests showed normal results, except for his X-ray.

It was only after seeing the X-ray result that he remembered an incident in January 2020.

Kent was back-riding on a motorcycle when a stranger stabbed him. He ended up with a wound on his back and was brought to the hospital, where a doctor cleaned his wound right away.

His mother Gina asked the doctor if Kent had to undergo an X-ray.  But according to her, the doctor said that there was no need for an X-Ray, because it was just a shallow cut and his vital signs were normal.

More than a year since the incident, Kent said he had not felt anything out of the ordinary, apart from the usual pain from the stitches.

Because of the knife lodged in his back, Kent failed the medical test and lost his chance to get the job.

Kent was worried after learning about his condition. He said he lost his appetite and had to be careful with every movement, especially when lying down and getting up.

After analyzing the results, General Surgeon Maria Salome Fernandez said the knife was located at the lower portion of Kent’s chest.

Fernandez said the knife seemed to be of poor quality. “Instead of penetrating [his stomach, it curved towards the] muscle,” she said.

But she warned that the knife could cause an infection if it wasn’t removed immediately.

It’s also “a constant threat” because the bladed weapon could go deeper inside his body if there was sudden impact.

She said that when Kent was rushed to the hospital, the doctors should have conducted wound exploration to check if anything got stuck before suturing.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bu Castro said that if they could prove that there was negligence, Kent could file a complaint to the hospital that treated him or to the Department of Health. He could also seek advice from the Professional Regulation Commission.

Castro said the doctor in question could be given a warning or have their license suspended, if negligence was proven. If there was negligence on the part of the hospital, its license to operate may also be at stake.

KMJS reached out to the doctor who treated Kent’s stab wounds.

According to Dr. Esteban Tinapay, “When the patient came in, he was attended to immediately. I did some wound exploration. I did not feel anything. Everything was normal. There was only minimal bleeding. So I sutured the wound. I think that there’s no need to do an X-ray because all his vital signs were normal.”

Provincial Head Officer Dr. Evera Bayad also said that all the necessary protocols were followed.

They also said that they are in touch with Kent’s family.

Gina confirmed that the doctor went to their house and told them that they were willing to operate on Kent again.

Kent said the doctor offered to do the surgery for free and even give him allowance if he still could not find a job. The hospital also promised to shoulder his medication after the operation.

“Sa akin, okay lang sa akin na hindi na ako mag-akyat ng kaso basta tutulungan lang nila ako. Matanggal lang ’tong problema ko,” he said.

[ I will not press charges, as long as they will help me get rid of the knife lodged in my back.]

Kent underwent a CT scan earlier this week. While waiting for the results, the doctor also found out that Kent had a Urinary Tract Infection.

They will hold a pre-operation meeting on Monday to assess what steps to take next.

Dr. Joel Sungcad, Chief of Hospital, assured Kent and his mother that they were going to help him. He said that they had also offered him a job at the hospital.

Kent could only pray that the knife will finally be removed from his body.  – Kaela Malig/RC, GMA News

For those who want to help Kent, please deposit to:

LANDBANK

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0747 135517

ACCOUNT NUMBER: KENT RYAN W. TOMAO

CONTACT DETAILS:

09517892879 - Kent Ryan Tomao