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Old 05-06-2004, 06:42   #1
Kyobanim
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Nailed

I couldn't decide if this belonged here or in the comedy forum. It IS medical related. There is an X-ray on the link.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4909827/

Six nails embedded in the skull and neck of construction worker Isidro Mejia, 39, after a construction accident April 19 are seen in this X-ray image from Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Los Angeles.

Updated: 8:26 p.m. ET May 05, 2004LOS ANGELES - A construction worker had six nails driven into his head in an accident with a high-powered nail gun, but doctors said Wednesday they expect him to make a full recovery.


Isidro Mejia made his first public appearance Wednesday since the April 19 accident that left him with 3½-inch nails embedded in his face, neck and skull. He told reporters in Spanish from his wheelchair that he does not remember much about the accident, but is grateful to be alive.

“He says that he’s very happy to be alive,” said Dr. Rafael Quinonez, a neurosurgeon who removed the nails at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. “And he told me this morning that he thought he was going to die. He was happy when he opened his eyes and he saw that he’s still with us.”

Mejia, 39, was atop an unfinished home when he fell from the roof onto a co-worker who was using the nail gun, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Mark Newlands said.

The two men tried to grab each to keep from falling, but both tumbled to the ground. At some point, the nail gun discharged and drove the nails into Mejia’s head.

“They’re extremely powerful,” Newlands said. “They’ve got to drive through three-quarter-inch plywood.”

Neurosurgeon Rafael Quinonez explains how he removed six nails from patient Isidro Mejia's head and neck during a news conference Wednesday at a hospital in Mission Hills, Calif.
Quinonez said Mejia told authorities he remembered a “shock” to the back of his neck and little else before passing out.

Three nails penetrated Mejia’s brain, and one entered his spine below the base of his skull. Doctors said the nails barely missed his brain stem and spinal cord, preventing paralysis or death.

“We did not have too much hope that he would survive, but we did it and he survived,” Quinonez said, calling the recovery “close to a miracle.”

Mejia is walking with minimal assistance and speaks somewhat slowly because his brain’s speech center was affected, but his progress has been “remarkable,” Quinonez said. With rehabilitation therapy, he should fully recover, he said.

“He is basically normal,” Quinonez said.

Five nails were removed the same day and the sixth, in Mejia’s face, was removed April 23 after swelling went down, the hospital said.
Authorities cleared the co-worker of any wrongdoing.


Kyo's thread merged with Maya's original.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:02   #2
Surgicalcric
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That would suck...

I have never seen one in the melon, but it is a quite common to see them in hands and feet. This usually occurs when the individual using the nailer is bumped at the last minute and fires one or more off. For those that dont know, the nailers have pressure sensitive safeties on them which require the nailers to be pressed against something for them to be discharged, but all the injuries I have seen were the result of taping the safety closed with 100mph tape so they could 'rapid fire' them. Roofers and framers are the worst I have seen.

OSHA is never happy about it and neither is their worker's comp carrier...lol.


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Old 05-06-2004, 13:32   #3
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Interesting Accident on reported Fox News

OUCH!!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,119142,00.html

Ok What would the drill be for coming onto this scene? You have spinal, airway, brain, possible arterial compromise in the neck.

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Old 05-06-2004, 13:52   #4
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"Authorities cleared the co-worker of any wrongdoing."

I find it very difficult to believe a nail gun could go off six times and impale this bozo in six completely different locations covering almost 270 degrees of his skull by accident, I do not buy it, not for a minute.

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Old 05-06-2004, 14:06   #5
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1) Manual C-spine, bandage any squirters

2) IV for meds (Atropine, Norcuron)

3) ETT and ventilate,

4) C-collar (unless it would put pressure on any of the nails...If so use rolled towels), --> LSB.

5) Evac to bright lights and cold steel.
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Old 05-06-2004, 14:10   #6
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Fully concur TS.

Also I would imagine someone's ass is going to be in a sling for bypassng the safety on the nailer to begin with.
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Old 05-06-2004, 15:07   #7
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Claw hammer to remove nails. Treat for stupidity.
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Old 05-06-2004, 16:02   #8
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I can't say about the treatment, but I can believe that it was an accident. Having worked with a few nail guns in my time, I can totally see it getting off six shots in the course of a tumble, especially if the safeties are (usually intentionally) disengaged/bypassed. From my understanding, the victim (dumbass?) fell down onto the operator. In the course of such a thing, the surprise, trashing about, and struggle could easily account for the number of nails and spread.

Guy is lucky to be alive, though.
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