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| Devon worker's crushed hand sewn in abdomen | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Surgeons saved a worker's hand which had been crushed in an industrial mangle by sewing it inside a "pocket" in his abdomen for three weeks. | |
| Anthony Seward, 23, got his hand trapped at Heathcoat Fabrics in Tiverton, Devon, in August 2016. | Anthony Seward, 23, got his hand trapped at Heathcoat Fabrics in Tiverton, Devon, in August 2016. |
| Exeter magistrates heard that a broken barrier guard had not been replaced. | Exeter magistrates heard that a broken barrier guard had not been replaced. |
| Heathcoat admitted a health and safety offence and was fined £300,000. The firm told the court the accident was "a complete tragedy". | Heathcoat admitted a health and safety offence and was fined £300,000. The firm told the court the accident was "a complete tragedy". |
| Warning: This story contains graphic images that some readers may find upsetting. | Warning: This story contains graphic images that some readers may find upsetting. |
| It also said Mr Seward's injury was "deeply regretted by the company". | It also said Mr Seward's injury was "deeply regretted by the company". |
| More on this story and other Devon news | More on this story and other Devon news |
| Barrister Christian DuCann, representing Heathcote, said it was a "complete tragedy" for a young man early in his career. | Barrister Christian DuCann, representing Heathcote, said it was a "complete tragedy" for a young man early in his career. |
| "This was an avoidable accident," he added. | "This was an avoidable accident," he added. |
| Surgeon James Henderson said Mr Seward's hand was sewn inside the skin of his abdomen for three weeks. | Surgeon James Henderson said Mr Seward's hand was sewn inside the skin of his abdomen for three weeks. |
| The procedure at Southmead Hospital and Spire Bristol, called a Pedicled Abdominal Flap, allowed the skin to heal and get a blood supply from the hand. | The procedure at Southmead Hospital and Spire Bristol, called a Pedicled Abdominal Flap, allowed the skin to heal and get a blood supply from the hand. |
| It was then separated from the abdomen and the skin was folded over to cover the entire hand. | It was then separated from the abdomen and the skin was folded over to cover the entire hand. |
| Mr Seward has now had two operations to separate his fingers and is able to move them independently. | Mr Seward has now had two operations to separate his fingers and is able to move them independently. |
| "It's now quite rare as we don't see that many injuries that require this treatment," said Mr Henderson. | "It's now quite rare as we don't see that many injuries that require this treatment," said Mr Henderson. |
| The "very old-fashioned procedure" which was first described by surgeons in 1900, was used a lot during World War Two to treat injured servicemen. | The "very old-fashioned procedure" which was first described by surgeons in 1900, was used a lot during World War Two to treat injured servicemen. |
| It has also been used on soldiers coming back from Afghanistan. | It has also been used on soldiers coming back from Afghanistan. |
| Mr Henderson said Mr Seward's fingers could be improved with transplants from his toes "to give him a good fingertip for gripping fine objects". | Mr Henderson said Mr Seward's fingers could be improved with transplants from his toes "to give him a good fingertip for gripping fine objects". |
| "Normally there are more sophisticated ways of transplanting tissue but Anthony's injury was so severe it was decided to do it this way," he added. | "Normally there are more sophisticated ways of transplanting tissue but Anthony's injury was so severe it was decided to do it this way," he added. |
| Mr Seward lost his job as a retained fire fighter as a result of the accident. | Mr Seward lost his job as a retained fire fighter as a result of the accident. |
| Speaking after the case, Mr Seward said: "It's been a long, painful and difficult 12 months. | Speaking after the case, Mr Seward said: "It's been a long, painful and difficult 12 months. |
| "I'd like to say thank you to the doctors and nurses paramedics that treated me at Bristol. | "I'd like to say thank you to the doctors and nurses paramedics that treated me at Bristol. |
| "They did a phenomenal job and I don't think they could have done any better." | "They did a phenomenal job and I don't think they could have done any better." |
| Mr Seward said he is making a compensation claim against the firm. | Mr Seward said he is making a compensation claim against the firm. |