Freak accident: Arrow removed, man recovering
The arrow was successfully removed.
The man that was impaled with an arrow in his neck in a freak accident in Poole Street last Saturday (13 June) is recovering after an operation in Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital.
After spending the night in a medically-induced coma with the arrow still lodged in his neck in one of the wards, the man in his 40s was operated on on Sunday (14 June) at around 11am. The arrow was successfully removed and according to Florida CPF medic Marcel Nelson, he should remain in a medically-induced coma until such time that the wounds have healed enough for him to breathe normally.
It is believed the arrow pierced the man’s neck while he was trying to load a crossbow outside of the home on Saturday night. The way in which he was airlifted to hospital after the accident on Saturday night, he’s never seen in his entire EMS career, Nelson told the Record.
“When I saw the man, I knew he needed immediate medical care as the arrow seemed to have gone through one of the main arteries,” Nelson said.
“He was given ventilation and breathing as he was incubated while he was transported in a sort of sitting position, on a stretcher in the helicopter — I’ve never seen something like it before, especially since he was in a medically induced coma to make airlifting him possible,” he said.
According to Nelson, he was airlifted to Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital given the fact that he does not have medical aid. Doctors could not perform an angiogram on him as he is reportedly allergic to Iodine.
“Surgeons were afraid to operate because they could have hit his spinal column while removing the arrow,” Nelson said.
“However, the arrow being left in his neck for as long as it was actually prevented profuse bleeding; should he or a family member have decided to remove it on scene, he could have bled out.”
The man’s brother declined to comment on his recovery saying he’ll have to discuss with the family. It has not yet been ascertained whether the man remains in a coma and is still hospitalised. The Record will update the story should more information be made available.
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