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Fri May 22 07:17:02 BST 2009

Yes, it was one of our neurosurgeons who talked him through it. The boy was then flown to the Royal Childen's Hospital.

I had a similar opportunity last year with a GSW to the liver, small bowel, and rectum in an hypotensive adult - talked a country doctor through a damage control laparatomy, then he sent the patient with packs in down to us.  It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Julie Miller
Royal Melbourne Hospital

________________________________
From: Jenny Moncur <jmoncur at netspace.net.au>
To: Trauma and Critical Care mailing list <trauma-list at trauma.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:32:03 PM
Subject: Re: Australian doctor uses household drill to save boy

Yep - he did have a critical lesion.
The child rapidly became unconscious, started fitting and then blew a pupil.
Family took him to local hospital.

The local doctor evacuated a clot and 400ml of blood from the epidural space by drilling just above the right ear.

He was in phone contact with a neurosurgeon at the major trauma centre in Melbourne who talked him through the procedure.
This was in part facilitated by our State Trauma system which fast tracks communications between regional and remote medical facilities with the major trauma centres.
The surgeons can give advise to the remote doctor or paramedics over the phone for immediate care needs of the patient meanwhile arranging for transfer to the appropriate centre.

This kid also had a pretty level headed and gutsy local doctor and anaesthetist at the regional hospital.

He looks well.

Jen
IC Paramedic
Victoria, Oz
----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Ojala" <Rob.Ojala at cdhb.govt.nz>
To: "Trauma and Critical Care mailing list" <trauma-list at trauma.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2009 12:07 PM
Subject: RE: Australian doctor uses household drill to save boy

based on recent opinions expressed on this list....[and assuming this child really did have a critical lesion]...i suspect he was lucky to be living in Australia :-(

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Australian doctor uses household drill to save boy