Magnetic Device Revolutionizes Shrapnel Removal on Ukraine’s Frontlines, Saves Soldier’s Life

Reported by Kokcha News Agency:
A Ukrainian soldier, Serhiy Melnyk, narrowly escaped death after a piece of shrapnel from a Russian-made drone pierced his heart. Melnyk, who shared his story with the BBC, pulled a small, rusty metal fragment wrapped in paper from his pocket and said, “It went through my heart, lung, and kidney.”

The Incident
While fighting in eastern Ukraine, Melnyk was hit by shrapnel from a drone strike. Initially, he thought he was just experiencing shortness of breath under his body armor. “I didn’t realize what had happened at first. I thought I was just having trouble breathing under my armor. It turned out shrapnel had pierced my heart,” he recalled.

Rising Drone Attacks and Shrapnel Injuries
With the increase in drone attacks in Ukraine, shrapnel injuries have become more common. Drones often carry materials designed to fragment upon impact, causing complex shrapnel wounds. According to military medical personnel, shrapnel injuries now account for 80% of battlefield traumas.

The Magnetic Shrapnel Remover
What saved Melnyk’s life was not just luck but a revolutionary medical device: the magnetic shrapnel remover. Dr. Serhiy Maksymenko, a cardiovascular surgeon, explained how the device was used to extract the metal fragment from Melnyk’s beating heart.

Using only a small incision, Dr. Maksymenko inserted the magnet and pulled the shrapnel out. Over the past year, Dr. Maksymenko and his team have successfully performed more than 70 heart surgeries using this device, revolutionizing frontline medicine.

The Innovator Behind the Device
The man behind this innovative device is Oleh Bykov, a former lawyer who has been volunteering to support the Ukrainian military since 2014. After consulting with frontline doctors, Bykov developed the magnetic shrapnel remover.

A Modern Take on an Old Idea
The use of magnets to remove metal from wounds is not new; it dates back to the Crimean War in the 1850s. However, Bykov and his team modernized the concept, creating flexible models for abdominal surgery, smaller magnets for microsurgery, and high-powered versions for bone injuries.

The magnetic device is passed over the wound to attract metal fragments to the surface, allowing surgeons to remove the shrapnel with a small incision. Bykov demonstrated the device’s power by lifting a sledgehammer with its tip.

Deployment on the Frontlines
Initially developed for frontline conditions, the device has now been distributed to over 3,000 units across Ukraine. Andriy Alban, a frontline medic, says he now relies on the device, often using it in trenches or open fields, sometimes without anesthesia, while under fire.