Medical Must-See: Patient impaled by her Christmas tree
It may be September, but ’tis always the season to reflect on trauma protocols.
One of which is the timely transfer of patients with life-threatening injuries, especially when said patient has been impaled by the ‘trunk’ of a Christmas tree.
According to Clinical Case Reports, the 54-year-old woman had fallen from a stepladder onto the metallic base of her artificial tree. The metallic rod had then penetrated the right buttock and plunged through her pelvis.
However, X-rays and a CT scan with 3D reconstruction were performed prior to transport to ED, delaying surgery.