King Country meat worker patient update

A 26-year-old King Country meat worker underwent 13 hours surgery at Waikato Hospital to save his left hand which was partially severed by a band saw at a Benneydale meat and processing plant yesterday.

The man is now under observation in a ward at the hospital.

Surgery began shortly after 11am yesterday and finished just before midnight.

Plastics and orthopaedic surgeons and staff completed the intricate surgery.

Bennydale is 35km southeast of Te Kuiti. The man's left had was cut at the wrist at about 10.15am. He was taken to Te Kuiti Hospital by ambulance and then flown to Waikato Hospital on the Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance.

* No further statements until later this morning thanks and I will try to get one of the surgeons to talk about the operation. At the moment they are having a well-earned rest.

Date: 10 February 2009

Regards

Mary Anne Gill
Director of Media and Communications
Waikato District Health Board
P.O. Box 934
Hamilton 3240
Ph: 07 834 3684
Fax: 07 834 3673
Mobile: 021 705 213
Email: gillm@waikatodhb.govt.nz