Surgeons saved a retained firefighter’s mangled hand, after it was crushed by rollers, by sewing it inside a ‘pocket’ in his stomach for three weeks.
Antony Seward was just 20 when his left hand was mangled following a work accident at the Heathcote Fabrics Ltd factory in Tiverton, Devon.
Rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, medics decided to carry out a Pedicled Abdominal Flap procedure to allow his skin to heal and generate a blood supply from the hand.
It was then separated from the abdomen and the skin was folded over to cover the entire hand.
Heathcoat Fabrics Ltd, of Tiverton, admitted failing to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of the L stenter mangle and its rollers between January 2014 and August 2016.
The company was fined £300,000 ($384,000) by District Judge Stephen Nicholls.
Surgeon James Henderson Henderson said Antony’s fingers could be improved with transplants from his toes ‘to give him good fingertip for gripping fine objects’.
Antony Seward was just 20 when his left hand was crushed (pictured) in the large mangle at the Heathcote Fabrics Ltd factory in Tiverton, Devon
Firefighter Antony’s hand was sewn inside the skin of his abdomen for three weeks. The Pedicled Abdominal Flap procedure carried out at Southmead hospital in Bristol allowed the skin to heal and get a blood supply from the hand
One of a series of photos showing the various stages of reconstruction after a workers hand was crushed in an industrial mangle
Antony’s career as a firefighter is in tatters and he said after the hearing at Exeter magistrates court: ‘It’s been a long, painful and difficult 12 months’
Now he could get transplants from his toes
Antony has now had two operations to separate his fingers so he can move them independently.
Surgeon James Henderson Henderson said his fingers could be improved with transplants from his toes ‘to give him good fingertip for gripping fine objects’.
Antony’s career as a firefighter is in tatters and he said after the hearing at Exeter magistrates court: ‘It’s been a long, painful and difficult 12 months.’
A court heard a barrier guard which would have prevented the accident had not been repaired for 31 months – despite replacement parts being available.
Antony thanked the doctors that have treated him saying: ‘They did a phenomenal job and I don’t think they could have done any better.’
Health and Safety Executive prosecutor Paul Mannell said the guard on the machine had broken but parts were available to repair it.
However, that did not happen for two years and seven months until the accident involving Antony happened in August 2016.
After the hand was sewn in Antony’s abdomen it was then separated and the skin was folded over to cover the entire hand
It was a ‘complete tragedy’
Antony had only worked for Heathcoat for four months and was 15 minutes from the end of his shift when it happened.
He said: ‘There is no dispute that he did not realise the rollers were rotating.’
But without the guard the machine did not stop.
Mr Mannell said 21 year old Antony suffered severe crush injuries requiring six operations and regular physio and said he may still lose his hand.
Christian DuCann, for the firm, said it was a ‘complete tragedy’ for a young man early in his working career.
Antony has now had two operations to separate his fingers so he can move them independently (pictured). Surgeon James Henderson Henderson said his fingers could be improved with transplants from his toes ‘to give him good fingertip for gripping fine objects’
Antony thanked the doctors that have treated him saying: ‘They did a phenomenal job and I don’t think they could have done any better.’ Pictured is the pocket where his hand was sewed
The machine should have been guarded
He said: ‘This was an avoidable accident.’
He said the firm ‘deeply regretted’ what had happened and ‘fully apologised’ to Antony who is taking civil action against the company.
He said Antony was a ‘very willing, able operative’ and said the machine ‘should have been guarded’.
The company’s last accounts showed a £49 million ($63 million) turnover with a profit of more than £5.3 million ($6.8 million), the court heard.
The company’s last accounts showed a £49 million ($63 million) turnover with a profit of more than £5.3 million ($6.8 million), the court heard. Pictured is another skin graft from his leg
Antony (pictured) training as a firefighter. Antony had only worked for Heathcoat for four months and was 15 minutes from the end of his shift when it happened