Emergency treatment for male student who had a rare accident while hanging out with friends

(Chinhphu.vn) - A 16-year-old male student in Nghe An was stabbed by a 3-meter-long iron bar while playing with his friends, penetrating his head, face, and neck. Thanks to the smooth coordination between the provincial and central medical facilities in multidisciplinary emergency treatment for severe trauma, the patient was saved.

Doctors at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital performed emergency surgery to remove a foreign object penetrating the patient's face and neck - Photo: VGP

Rare accident

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a 16-year-old male student in Nghe An was hanging out with his friends when a 3-meter-long iron bar pierced his head, face, and neck. The iron bar was stuck firmly through his face, where many important blood vessels and nerves are located, and was life-threatening.

The male student 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 extremely difficult because the foreign object pierced the head and neck, making it impossible for the patient to lie flat or tilt his head back during the entire 300km journey to Hanoi to avoid bleeding or further injury.

Red alert inside the hospital – Breathtaking overnight surgery

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 is extremely dangerous, it can damage large blood vessels, causing massive bleeding or permanent facial paralysis.

That very night, the hospital activated the internal red alert, mobilizing many specialists to participate in the consultation. After the consultation, the doctors agreed on the plan to perform emergency surgery to remove the foreign object penetrating the face and neck area.

Due to the foreign object penetrating through the face, inserting itself into the mouth, causing the jawbone to be crushed and bleeding profusely, the Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery specialists proactively opened the trachea to control the airway, creating conditions for anesthesia and resuscitation for the patient. The cardiovascular surgery team controlled the right carotid artery while the Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery specialists removed the foreign object and treated the patient's maxillofacial wound.

The patient's health is progressing positively - Photo: VGP

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha, Head of the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery - Plastic and Aesthetics, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, said that the iron bar must be carefully removed, millimeter by millimeter, after the patient's facial injury and hemodynamics have been completely controlled.

"The atmosphere in the operating room is as tense as a guitar string, even a small deviation can cause a large blood vessel to rupture or damage the patient's facial nerve. Maxillofacial and plastic surgeons not only ensure safe removal of foreign objects, saving the patient's life, but also preserve the maximum anatomical structure and function of the facial area - where many important nerves and sensory organs are concentrated. Thanks to that, the patient not only escapes "death's door" but also has the opportunity to recover almost completely in terms of aesthetics and facial motor function", Associate Professor Nguyen Hong Ha shared.

Winning back the patient's life at the last minute

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.

The patient is currently conscious, the wound is dry, and his health is progressing positively. Doctors said this was an "extremely lucky" case, because if the iron bar had been just a few centimeters off, the consequences would have been extremely unpredictable.

MSc. Dr. To Tuan Linh, Doctor of Maxillofacial Surgery - Plastic and Aesthetics, member of the surgical team, recommends that in case of an accident with a foreign object penetrating the neck and face area, people should absolutely not remove the foreign object 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.

This rare case continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of the coordination model between provincial and central health care in multidisciplinary, severe trauma emergency care. At the provincial level, doctors responded quickly, provided accurate initial treatment, and ensured maximum safety when transporting the patient to Hanoi – creating a "life-or-death stepping stone" for the emergency.

HM

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/nghet-tho-cap-cuu-nam-sinh-bi-tai-nan-hy-huu-khi-di-choi-cung-ban-102251022115746775.htm