8-Year-Old Survives Leopard Attack After Rare Surgery

An eight-year-old boy from rural Maharashtra is recovering well after surviving a terrifying leopard attack that resulted in a rare and potentially fatal neck injury. The case has drawn public attention not only because of the wildlife danger involved, but also due to the advanced medical treatment that saved the child’s life. Doctors say that the timely leopard attack on the child’s carotid stenting played a crucial role in his recovery.

Child Dragged by Leopard While Playing Near Home

The incident occurred on November 14 in a farming village in Ahilyanagar district. The boy was playing outside his home in the early evening when a leopard suddenly grabbed him by the neck and dragged him away.
Fortunately, a family member nearby reacted quickly. By chasing the animal on a motorcycle and continuously honking, the leopard was forced to release the child and flee. While the boy survived, he suffered serious injuries to his neck.

Hidden Danger: Injury to a Major Blood Vessel

Initially, the child was taken to a local private hospital for emergency care. After his condition was stabilised, doctors referred him to a tertiary care centre in Pune for further evaluation.
Advanced scans revealed a serious internal injury. The leopard’s bite had punctured the carotid artery, the main blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. This caused a pseudoaneurysm, a balloon-like swelling in the weakened artery wall.
Doctors warned that if this condition had gone untreated, the artery could have ruptured at any moment, leading to massive bleeding or sudden death.

Rare Procedure Saves Young Life

To confirm the diagnosis, specialists performed a Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA), a detailed imaging test of the brain’s blood vessels. Given the severity and location of the injury, the medical team decided to perform carotid stenting, a minimally invasive procedure rarely done in children.

During the procedure, doctors inserted a covered stent graft through an artery in the groin and guided it to the damaged carotid artery. The stent immediately sealed the puncture, restoring normal blood flow and preventing rupture.

This case of a child attacked by a leopard undergoing carotid stenting is considered unusual due to the patient’s young age and the nature of the injury.

Smooth Recovery and Positive Follow-Up

The child recovered well after the procedure and was discharged from the hospital. During a follow-up visit in early January, doctors confirmed that he was stable and healing normally.
Medical experts noted that while carotid stenting is commonly used in elderly stroke patients with artery blockages, performing it in a child with traumatic injury is rare and medically significant.

Impact Beyond the Hospital

Back in his village, the young survivor has become a symbol of courage. He confidently shares his experience with classmates, proudly saying he was not scared during the attack. However, the incident has also changed family routines, with elders ensuring children remain indoors after sunset.
The case has once again highlighted the growing issue of human-wildlife conflict in rural areas, as well as the importance of quick medical intervention.

Conclusion

This incident underlines several critical public health lessons:

Wildlife attacks can cause hidden internal injuries
Early referral to advanced medical centres saves lives
Modern minimally invasive procedures can treat even rare pediatric emergencies

Most importantly, the success of this leopard attack child carotid stenting case shows how coordinated emergency care and medical expertise can turn a near-fatal incident into a story of survival.

Timely diagnosis, advanced imaging, and expert intervention transformed a life-threatening leopard attack into a successful recovery, proving that rapid medical response can make all the difference, even in the most unexpected emergencies.

I’m a pharmacist with a strong background in health sciences. I hold a BSc from Delhi University and a pharmacy degree from PDM University. I write articles and daily health news while interviewing doctors to bring you the latest insights. In my free time, you’ll find me at the gym or lost in a sci-fi novel.