Man survives fall from 17th floor

The victim, an AC mechanic, suffered several fractures

Apollo Specialty Hospital in OMR recently treated a 20-year-old air-conditioning mechanic who fell from the 17th floor of a construction site at Perungudi.

M.D. Firoj Alam tripped and fell to the fifth floor of the building. He sustained multiple injuries in his body, fractured his legs, skull and facial bones. He was brought to the hospital in an unresponsive state, with breathing problems, extreme hypotension and bleeding from the head, mouth, ears and nose. In both legs, the bones were exposed.

The patient was given artificial respiration and blood transfusion and I.V. fluids were administered. When the patient stabilised, a series of CT scans was done to assess the injury.

There were blood clots in his occipital lobes, he had sustained cervical spine fracture, his liver and right kidney were damaged and he had broken bones in both legs.

A team, headed by Roopesh Kumar, senior consultant, neurosurgeon, besides critical care consultants Pratheema Ramachandran and Devachandran Jayakumar, planned the patient’s treatment modalities.

The doctors paralysed him, stabilised the lower limbs using plaster of Paris and did a tracheostomy for ventilation. He was administered medications to reduce the swelling in the brain. When his condition improved, a plastic surgeon began treating his facial fractures.

It was a challenge to prevent sepsis and keep at bay psychiatric issues, Dr. Roopesh Kumar said.

Luckily the patient needed only medical treatment for injuries to his liver and kidney.

On regaining consciousness, the patient required psychiatric support to treat his aggressive behaviour and mood swings. He suffered several bouts of fever requiring infectious diseases specialist’s intervention.

Two months after the accident and with rehabilitation support and intensive physiotherapy, Mr. Firoz is ready to return home to Rahikpur in Bihar.

His father was with him throughout his ordeal. Doctors said that in three months, he would be able to walk normally and within a year he would be fit to return to work.