Rapid trauma response saves crash woman at Glenorie
The rapid response of an NRMA CareFlight trauma team, supported by emergency services, saved the life of a young woman after her car left the road and crashed into a tree at Glenorie, in Sydney's north-west, last night.
The helicopter team had to fly around heavy rain and low cloud to land at the crash site just 20 minutes after an initial "000" alert at 5.45 pm.
The NRMA CareFlight doctor said the 23-year-old woman, from Arcadia, was unconscious with no pulse when they reached her.
Castle Hill Fire Brigade officers, who reached the scene as the helicopter landed, then worked for 30 minutes to cut the woman free, with a tree protruding half a metre into the car.
The CareFlight specialist trauma doctor and duty paramedic started immediate resuscitation while the woman remained trapped, then were supported by additional ambulance, rural fire brigade and police officers.
The woman was given a general anaesthetic and placed on a ventilator to control her breathing and given IV fluids to compensate for her massive loss of blood.
The woman was taken to Westmead Hospital in a road ambulance, under continuing treatment by the NRMA CareFlight doctor who used a portable ultrasound scanner which showed the woman had suffered severe internal bleeding.
The woman remained in a critical, but improving condition on arrival at Westmead Hospital suffering head, chest and abdominal injuries and underwent lengthy emergency surgery.
For further information at any time please contact NRMA CareFlight director Ian Badham on 0418 245 748, or CAMERON WADE on 0408 656 341. Back