Benha University Hospitals' Medical Team Saves Child After Screwdriver Penetrates Neck

A medical team at Benha University Hospitals succeeded in saving the life of an 18‑month‑old child who arrived at the emergency department in critical condition after falling from a bed onto a sharp tool (a screwdriver), which penetrated his neck to a depth of 8 cm. The injury was extremely severe and nearly fatal.
This intervention was carried out under the auspices of prof. Nasser El‑Gizawy, President of Benha University; Dr. Mohamed El‑Ashhab, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Hospitals Board; and Dr. Amr El‑Dokhakhny, Executive Director of Benha University Hospitals. Supervision was provided by Dr. Mohamed Daabes, Head of the General Surgery Department, and Prof. Dr. Ihab Said, Head of the Anesthesiology Department.
The child was immediately prepared and transferred to the operating room within minutes due to the critical location of the injury, which was close to major blood vessels, cerebral arteries and veins, the trachea, pharynx, esophagus, and thyroid gland. The surgical team successfully removed the screwdriver, repaired the posterior pharyngeal wall, and reconstructed the damaged tissues. The child's condition stabilized after surgery and he is currently under medical observation.
The surgical team included Dr. Mahmoud Gouda, Consultant of General Surgery; Dr. Hamdy Hassan, Assistant Lecturer of Surgery; and Dr. Omar Galal, Resident Surgeon. From the ENT surgical team, Dr. Alaa Abdel‑Samee and Dr. Ahmed Hamdy El‑Zubair participated. The anesthesia team was led by Dr. Maha Gamal, Consultant of Anesthesiology, along with Dr. Mohamed Abdel‑Razek and Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim. Nursing staff from the surgery, operating, and pediatric departments also played a vital role in the success of the intervention and in saving the child's life.