Man impaled on crowbar saved by hospital trauma team

Abstract

A cool-as-a-cucumber Carltonville mine engineer walked out of hospital 19 days after being impaled from groin to upper back by a 2-metre, 2 cm-thick industrial crowbar, his survival and recovery due to his presence of mind, and world-class trauma surgery. The crowbar pierced three of his body cavities – his pelvis, abdomen and chest – missing his heart by 5 cm and destroying a kidney.