Miraculous recovery of rebar penetrating trauma in construction site worker
Construction workers are predisposed to array of hazards due to unsafe working conditions. Accidents at construction sites are attributed to falls, resulting in trauma, disability, and sometimes, death. One such fall resulted in complex presentation of rebar penetrating trauma when a 47 years old unidentified, male construction site worker fell from an altitude of 5 m, and landed on erect rebar, resulting in combined penetrating trauma of head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis and scrotum. Radiography showed brain and cardiac contusions, subarachnoid hemorrhage, lung injury along with pneumothorax and mediastinal emphysema, injuries to tongue, palate, and right lobe of thyroid. Despite of severity of trauma, timely first response, efficient triage by emergency nurses, multidisciplinary surgical approach and psychological support resulted in phenomenal recovery within 2 months. Follow up at 5 and 11 months showed tremendous improvement. Sources: o Zhang M, He Q, Wang Y, Pang S, Wang W, Wang D et al. Combined penetrating trauma of the head, neck, chest, abdomen and scrotum caused by falling from a high altitude: A case report and literature review. International Emergency Nursing. 2019;44:1-7. o Douglas KE, Adeloye FT. Pattern of accidents in building construction sites in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Niger J Med. 2016 Jul-Sep;25(3):234-53. PMID: 30011168.
