Emergency treatment for male student with 50cm long iron bar piercing through head and face

Doctors at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital successfully rescued a 16-year-old male student who was stabbed through the face and neck by a 50cm long iron bar, avoiding serious consequences.

On October 22, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital informed that the hospital's doctors had just performed emergency surgery and saved the life of patient T., 16 years old in Nghe An, who was stabbed by a 3 meter long iron bar through the head, face and neck while out playing with friends.

The iron rod was stuck firmly through the face - where many important blood vessels and nerves are concentrated. If it was just a few centimeters off, it could have killed him on the spot.

Immediately after the accident, the patient was taken to the provincial hospital in Nghe An. Doctors promptly shortened the iron bar, fixed the foreign object, stopped the bleeding temporarily, and created safe conditions for transfer. However, transporting the patient was difficult because the foreign object crossed the head and neck, making it impossible for the patient to lie flat or tilt his head back during the entire journey of more than 300km to Hanoi to avoid bleeding or further injury.

When admitted to the emergency room of Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, the iron bar, about 50cm long, was still stuck in his face. CT scan images showed that the foreign object went from the tip of the nose through the hard palate, the alveolar bone of the right jaw, the base of the neck, and then through the back of the neck. The path of the foreign object was very dangerous, it could damage large blood vessels, causing massive bleeding or permanent facial paralysis.

That same night, the patient was transferred straight to the emergency operating room. The hospital activated the internal red alert, mobilizing many specialties to participate in the consultation, including: Maxillofacial surgery - plastic and cosmetic surgery, anesthesia - resuscitation, spinal surgery, cardiovascular - thoracic surgery and diagnostic imaging.

After consultation, the doctors agreed on a plan to perform emergency surgery to remove the foreign object penetrating the face and neck area. Because the foreign object penetrated through the face, stuck in the mouth, causing the jawbone to be crushed and bleeding profusely, the maxillofacial and plastic surgery specialists had to proactively open the trachea to control the airway to facilitate anesthesia and resuscitation for the patient. The cardiovascular surgery team controlled the right carotid artery while the maxillofacial and plastic surgeons removed the foreign object and treated the patient's maxillofacial wound.

Associate Professor Nguyen Hong Ha monitors the patient's health after surgery. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

Associate Professor Nguyen Hong Ha, Head of the Department of Maxillofacial-Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery (Viet Duc Friendship Hospital) shared that the iron bar must be carefully removed, millimeter by millimeter, after the patient's facial injury and hemodynamics have been completely controlled. Maxillofacial-plastic surgeons not only ensure the safe removal of foreign objects, saving the patient's life, but also preserve the maximum anatomical structure and function of the facial area. Thanks to that, the patient not only escapes the "death door" but also has the opportunity to recover almost completely in terms of aesthetics and facial motor function.

After more than an hour of urgent surgery, the iron bar was safely removed, the jaw and facial injuries were fixed by doctors and the wounds were thoroughly treated, the patient's face was preserved and he narrowly overcame the critical situation.

Currently, patient T. is conscious, the wound is dry, progressing positively, and is being treated. Doctors say this is a lucky case, because if the iron bar had been off by just a few centimeters, the consequences would have been unpredictable.

Doctor To Tuan Linh - Department of Maxillofacial Surgery - Plastic and Aesthetics, a member of the surgical team, recommends that in case of an accident where a foreign object penetrates the neck and face area, people should absolutely not remove the foreign object immediately at the scene if they do not have enough professional qualifications and supporting facilities. They need to provide first aid to temporarily fix the foreign object and take the victim immediately to a medical facility with full expertise in the fields of anesthesia, resuscitation and surgery./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cap-cuu-nam-sinh-bi-thanh-sat-dai-50cm-dam-xuyen-qua-dau-va-mat-post1071786.vnp