Every year in the UK 150,000 people are injured in road traffic collisions – and at 9pm on Wednesday (22 Feb) BBC Two’s ‘Surgeons - at the Edge of Life’ follows Addenbrooke’s clinicians taking on two of the most complex cases.
In this last episode in the current series, 55-year-old Carolyn is brought into the emergency department from another hospital because she needs specialist help.
Scans show she has a bleed on the brain, but while this is serious, the most time-critical injuries are those to her pelvis, and an open fracture to her heel.
Emergency physician, Dr Muaazh Wasil, is the trauma team leader and responsible for coordinating the response, which includes calling on orthopaedic registrar Sherif Elerian.
Sherif identifies that the tibia bone in Carolyn’s leg is dislocated at the ankle and needs to be put back immediately, since failure to do so could mean the surrounding tissue, vessels and nerves could sustain long term damage. However, it’s going to be an uncomfortable procedure for Carolyn, as anything more than minimal sedation may make her cerebral bleed worse.
A further scan reveals her heel, or calcaneus bone, is shattered. This injury will need to be repaired in theatre first, as it is an open fracture, and the risk of infection is high. Once she has recovered from the procedure, she will need another major three-stage operation on her pelvis, to ensure that she will walk again…
The next patient in the film, produced for the BBC by Dragonfly Film & TV (a Banijay UK company), is 75-year-old Joan, who has been hit by a van while crossing the road, crushing her foot and sending her crashing to the ground.
Joan has suffered a major trauma, with multiple injuries to her head, hip, leg, and foot, where a large area of skin is missing and her big toe is partially amputated. Trauma team leader Gio Cracolici organises a CT scan that reveals her foot will need an immediate operation to decide if her toe can be saved, and whether her entire foot is at risk because of the amount of skin lost.
Joan’s injuries are so complex two experienced specialists, consultant orthopaedic surgeon Professor Stephen McDonnell and consultant plastic surgeon, Dr Kai Yuen Wong, are called in for the procedure.
In the first operation they’ll need to clean the foot wound to prevent limb threatening infection, investigate whether Joan’s toe can be saved and establish if she has enough skin left on the sole to make standing and walking possible. The loss of too much could lead to an amputation.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust deputy medical director, Dr John Firth, said:
This series has taken viewers on a roller coaster of emotions, but most importantly has shown the incredible results that can be achieved with teamwork, clinical excellence, care, and the courage of patients and their families.
If the series brings hope to patients who find themselves with similar conditions – or encourages others to work in medicine and related fields – then it will have done its job.
Dr John Firth
Addenbrooke’s employes over 11,000 people in 100 staff roles and is one of the leading hospitals in the world. It has just announced the opening of three more theatres, and launched a recruitment drive for staff.
More information about careers at CUH can be found here, or contact recruitment services on 01223 217038.