DENVER, Colo. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — When a traumatic injury happens, every minute counts. But nearly 30 million Americans, about 12 percent of the population, live more than an hour from a level one or level two trauma center. For one firefighter-paramedic, getting to the right specialist in time helped save not only his hand, but his career.
Nic Pax is always moving. Cutting trees. Splitting firewood. Building. Fixing.
Nic says, “I was out there alone. So, I typically work alone.”
But one day, that independence nearly cost him his hand.
“I was kind of cleaning out underneath the conveyor belt and just got sucked into it. I tried to pull my hand out, and it sucked me right back in.”
He was trapped, alone and running out of time.
“I’ve either got to get out of here or I’m going to die here.”
Nic broke free … then looked down. He said, “I knew it was pretty bad.”
So, he called 911 and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors found no broken bones, but the damage was devastating — skin, tendons, ligaments … gone or badly injured.
Benson Pulikkottil, MD, Plastic & Hand Surgeon at HCA HealthONE Swedish told him, “You can lose your hand.”
Doctor Pulikkottil says this was one of the most challenging types of injuries to rebuild. He says, “The hand is an extremely complex network.”
First, the team had to remove damaged tissue, fight off infection, then figure out how to save what was left.
“We used the skin and the tissue from the chest. You lift it up, keep it connected here so there’s blood flow, and then you tuck the hand there for 3 weeks. So, we had his hand connected to his abdomen and chest,” explains Doctor Pulikkottil.
Then came more surgeries, tendon reconstruction, skin grafts, therapy and months of work.
Doctor Pulikkottil told Ivanhoe, “He went from potentially needing a hand amputation to having function.”
And even getting his grip back. But for Nic, the big win? “Probably when I started running a chainsaw again,” recalls Nic.
And he is also back to work as a firefighter-paramedic! When he looks at his hand now, he sees more than scars.
Nic says, “It’s part of me now.”
His doctor says his recovery shows why fast access to trauma care, reconstructive surgery, and hand therapy can make the difference between amputation and recovery. But experts say rapid access is only part of the equation. The American College of Surgeons says one in three Americans lives in an area without a complete trauma system — meaning access to specialized care can still vary depending on where an injury happens.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Matt Goldschmidt, Videographer; & Roque Correa, Editor.
Source:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5292279/?
https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/systems/trauma-series/part-v/
* For More Information, Contact: Benson Pulikkottil, MD
Plastic & Hand Surgeon
HCA HealthONE Swedish
