Ep 2. Skewered Skydivers

Untold Stories of the E.R. is a reality television show that features real-life stories of medical emergencies that happened in the emergency department of different hospitals across the United States. Each episode depicts a riveting story of a medical case handled by a team of emergency medical professionals.

Season 9, episode 2 of Untold Stories of the E.R. is titled Skewered Skydivers. The episode follows the story of a group of skydivers whose parachute jump goes horribly wrong. The six skydivers, who had over 1000 jumps between them, had planned a routine jump when one of the skydivers’ chutes didn’t open. The skydiver, known as Chris, crashed onto a metal fence post, impaling his leg and lodging him on it for an excruciating thirty minutes while his fellow skydivers watched in helpless horror.

As soon as they were able to free Chris from the fence post, he was rushed to the emergency department of a nearby hospital in the town of Moriarty, New Mexico. His doctors, Dr. Steve Venticinque and Dr. Juan Matute, were surprised to see Chris fully conscious, and they quickly got to work to try to save his leg.

The skydiver’s leg had been speared by the metal fence post for an extended period, and it had caused substantial damage. Injuries like these have high chances of life-threatening complications like blood loss, inability to circulate blood flow, infections, and nerve injuries, among others.

Dr. Venticinque and Dr. Matute triaged the patient, starting with a full evaluation of the wound to assess the depth of the impalement, the severity of the infection, and the damage to the surrounding muscles and nerves. They observed that the injury caused substantial trauma, and quick actions were required to mitigate further damages.

The doctors then drain the blood and added an IV drip to stabilize Chris's blood pressure as he was taken to the operating room. In surgery, the team worked meticulously to remove the fence post from his leg. The process was immensely complicated and had to be done with precise care to minimize any further damages to the leg. After over an hour of excruciating pain, the fence post was finally removed, and Chris was stitched up.

To treat and support Chris's leg, the doctors used a complex procedure involving external skeleton support or a modern fixator. This device was used to apply traction to the broken bones and straighten the leg. It works by offering sturdy support to the fractured bone and immobilizes Chris's joints to align them correctly.

The episode was a gripping reminder of just how critical teamwork and speedy medical intervention can be for patients with catastrophic injuries. Chris's recovery process was grueling and required intensive physical therapy to restore his ability to walk, but thanks to his doctors' prompt actions, he made a full recovery. Chris concludes by thanking his doctors, who helped save his leg after the harrowing accident.

Untold Stories of the E.R. episode Skewered Skydivers is a riveting tale of the bravery of the emergency medical professionals who work in America’s front-line health care systems. Viewers of the show are treated to a compelling story of real-life dedication and expertise as doctors work to save the life of a skydiver after a tragic mishap.