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Patient Case
The patient was operating an excavator when a tree limb fell, hit the tracks, and shot up into the cab. The limb entered the interior of the patient’s left leg just above the knee and exited through the upper left lateral thigh, pinning the patient to the door. The patient cut the seatbelt to use as a tourniquet but applied only enough pressure to slow the bleeding until EMS arrived. All of the patient’s vital signs were stable. The patient was extracted with the help of the fire department and transported to a level one trauma center.
Patient Outcome
The patient had missed all major arteries, veins, and the femur and is expected to make a full recovery.
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