A thirty year old man’s stomach has been sliced open by a tree branch as he was cycling in an off road endurance race, at Dalton, a private reserve in the Natal Midlands.
It is believed that the man was passing a tree near the trail when the incident happened. It seems that a tree branch was hanging quite near the trail, and as he passed it, it allegedly ripper straight through his protective motor cross gear and then through the tissue of his stomach.
The man was initially treated by the events medical services that were on scene, and then ER24 paramedics were called in to assist with an ambulance. The man was in a severe amount of pain, and paramedics were shocked to see that his intestines were actually protruding through the wound. They immediately performed preservation techniques of the exposed bowel, and they gave the man pain medications. They also needed to give the man a mild sedative as he was particularly anxious.
He was transported to an awaiting hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Vanessa Jackson
ER24