PATIENT STORY Fighting for life after fall


For builder Tony Parsons it was just another day at work. With 40 years experience in the trade he had been up and down ladders every day. However one little slip was all it took for him to need the assistance of the Critical Care Team.


T


ony was working on a house in Clifton when he slipped climbing a ladder, and fell 18ft onto concrete. The fall caused him to suffer a very serious head injury, and he was agitated and confused. His injury was very severe and if he was to survive he needed expert help. It was very important that his head injury was treated as soon as possible, to prevent further injury to his brain. Critical Care Paramedic James


Yates and Critical Care Doctor Scott Grier were called and sped to the scene. As the incident was in Clifton, they attended by car. The most important resource we provide is the experienced Critical Care Team, and we focus on getting them to the scene of an incident in the most appropriate way. In cases that are nearby, where there is no obvious landing spot for the helicopter, or if the weather is too bad to fly we use the car. When the team arrived they


found Tony walking around very agitated and confused. He was not aware of his surroundings or what had happened to him, and there was the worry that he would do more damage to himself. This is common with head injuries, and so it was important to protect his brain. Critical Care Paramedic James


said: “Tony sustained a head injury and a nasty wrist fracture. We were very concerned for Tony as we know that managing a head injury quickly and in the correct fashion can prevent further injury to the


Helimed NEWS


Tony Parsons with CCP James Yates


brain. However, because of the head injury, Tony was confused and wandering around the garden aimlessly, which presented us with some big challenges. We had to sedate Tony to allow us to then anaesthetise him and provide the essential care that his brain needed, along with splinting his wrist in a temporary cast.” Once the team had treated Tony they escorted him to


Southmead Hospital by land ambulance. There he remained in intensive care for eight weeks. After weeks of physio he was transferred to the Frenchay Brain Rehabilitation Centre. Seven months after the accident he returned home to his family. Tony said: “Without GWAAC


crew things would have been very different. I owe them my life.”


It was very important that Tony’s head injury was treated as soon as possible, to prevent further injury to his brain.


THE MAGAZINE OF GREAT WESTERN AIR AMBULANCE CHARITY SPRING 2017 9


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