# Surgeons Amputate Woman's Leg To Free Her From Crash



## VentMedic (Nov 4, 2007)

*This was an impressive rescue. For the woman, this will be a life changing event in many ways. *

*Surgeons Amputate Woman's Leg To Free Her From Crash*

http://www.nbc6.net/headlinesonly/14495327/detail.html

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. -- Surgeons were called to the scene of a garbage truck crash on Friday and amputated a woman's leg in order to free her from the wreckage.

The garbage truck overturned just before noon Friday on Taft Street in Pembroke Pines. 

Images from Chopper 6 showed firefighters and surgeons surrounding the garbage truck before pulling Hightower from the truck's cab.

http://www.nbc6.net/headlinesonly/14495327/detail.html


Nov 2, 2007 11:59 pm US/Eastern  

*Garbage Truck Overturned, Drivers Leg Amputated*

http://cbs4.com/local/garbage.truck.accident.2.481095.html
*The video is a compilation of several news broadcasts so wait a little for the next clip.* 

 Reporting  Carey Codd PEMBROKE PINES (CBS4) ― 

With a partially amputated leg, a woman survived and was hospitalized after a garbage truck fell on her in Pembroke Pines on Friday. 

It was a horrifying scene. Gwendolyn Hightower, 40, the driver of the "All Service" garbage truck, was pinned underneath it for more than an hour on Friday.  She was driving the truck from a passenger's side control, when it flipped. 

"When the vehicle started to roll over," Pembroke Pines Sgt. John Gazzano said, "she was thrown from the vehicle, ended up underneath it and it landed on its side." 

http://cbs4.com/local/garbage.truck.accident.2.481095.html


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## Chimpie (Nov 4, 2007)

Wow. Not only because they got surgeons to the scene, but they got them there and completed the amputation so quickly.


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## SC Bird (Nov 4, 2007)

Amazing story....wonder what extra precautions they took for a field amputation?

-Matt


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## bstone (Nov 4, 2007)

What would have happened if this occurred in a community where there are no surgical services?


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## reaper (Nov 4, 2007)

That's what the hacksaws are for!!


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## Ridryder911 (Nov 4, 2007)

I assisted in an amputation at a very large MCI. Actually amputations are not that difficult to perform if they are performed at the joint cavity. We used local Sux/lido for a block. Reaper is right, hack saws and knives are common in surgery and out of hospital. Scalpel incisions can remove to the cavity area. 

R/r 911


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## VentMedic (Nov 4, 2007)

People who live and work in rural farm country are probably familiar with or have known farmers who have performed their own extremity amputations to keep from being pulled further into the machinery.  

I had an uncle who amputated the remains of his hand with a pocket knife to get free from a corn picker and then walked a couple miles for help.  

I also remember watching my father organize neighbors and their tractors to remove an over turned tractor from another neighbor.  I had some good early "EMS" role models.  

Working rural medicine would be more challenging because you may not have a crane or 20 FF to assist with extrication.  

Of course, you wouldn't have to worry about 10 news helicopters overhead and the safety of hundreds of spectators either while trying to give good care and maintain some privacy.


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## SC Bird (Nov 4, 2007)

Wow....some pretty amazing stories for sure...

-Matt


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## BossyCow (Nov 5, 2007)

I'm thinking the infection control issues associated with a garbage truck would have to be considerable.


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## Airwaygoddess (Nov 5, 2007)

That is what the big gun antibiotics come in


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## Jon (Nov 22, 2007)

The Medical director for my Priviate ambulance co. preformed a bilateral prehospital amputation in mid 2006.... http://publicsafety.com/article/article.jsp?id=3794&siteSection=10


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