A FOUR-CENTIMETRE-LONG partially rusted metal nail has been successfully removed from an eye of a man injured in a worksite accident, it has been revealed.
The challenging and delicate hour-long surgery was performed on the 21-year-old Bahraini carpenter by a special BDF medical team.
The patient, who sustained an injury in his right eye while using a nail gun, has since regained full normal vision in the affected eye, which is rare, according to BDF Eye Clinic head consultant ophthalmologist Dr Ghada Al Binali, who performed the operation along with eye specialist Dr Muhammad Shabeer.
Dr Al Binali
Dr Al Binali attributed the success of the surgery to swift action and “luck”.
“In such cases, it is usually very poor prognosis either because of the initial trauma or because of the risk of infection from the nail,” she told the GDN yesterday (Aug 16).
“He was lucky and one factor which I believe helped was the quick action at the hospital.
“The doctors did not wait for the Covid-19 PCR test result but instead acted immediately while ensuring all precautions in the operation theatre as if patient was Covid positive.”
She said the time of intervention was very important as there was the risk of infection from the contaminated nail.
When the patient was brought in, the nail had penetrated the sclera which is the white layer that covers most of the outside of the eyeball.
After the nail was removed, the sclera was sutured and the patient was administered the necessary antibiotics. He was also provided full medical care until recovery.
“He is now in good health without any complications with his sight; the strength of vision improved after the operation,” said Dr Al Binali.
“Usually in such injuries the nail hits back into the eye with high velocity, causing massive damage.
“It was a highly complicated case and among the rarest where the patient got back his vision – in almost all other such cases there have been complications like damaged retina, or the lens bleeding.
“There have also been cases where the patient has lost his eye.”
A nail gun is used to drive nails into wood or some other kind of material. Injury occurs when a nail propelled at high velocity penetrates the globe of the eye, resulting in disastrous visual consequences.
The gun fires a nail, which, at high velocities of up to 160kmph, can act as a missile. It can injure the eye directly, via ricochet after striking a hard surface or metal, or the gun might backfire or jam.
The accident is usually reported among people working with pneumatic nail guns, used in the construction industry.
Dr Al Binali reiterated the need to wear protective eye glasses when performing maintenance or carpentry work in order to preserve the health and safety of the eyes.
The British Columbia Medical Journal said that between 2009 and 2018, 198 nail gun-related injuries had been reported with 75 per cent of them employed in the construction industry.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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