Winter 2012 - Peninsula Regional Medical Center

HealthGrades, Inc. has named Peninsula Regional
Medical Center one of America’s 100 Best
Hospitals for Critical Care in 2012. PRMC was also
awarded the HealthGrades Critical Care
Excellence Award for the 4th consecutive year.
of the severity of Bruce’s injuries, but we know there’s no way
he would have received any better care on the other side of
the bridge or anywhere else.”
It was in Bishopville, Maryland a little over two years ago
now when the driver of a large box truck ran a red light. In
the middle of that intersection, as fate would have it, was
Bruce Somers, who was driving a smaller truck delivering a
load of crab pots. The crash was ugly…a t-bone impact.
Bruce arrived at PRMC by helicopter where, based on the
critical nature of his condition as relayed by the EMS crew,
he was designated as a Red Code trauma patient—the
category reserved for the most critically injured trauma
patients. Given this designation, a trauma surgeon, three
Emergency Department physicians, Emergency Department
nursing and tech staff, lab, and respiratory personnel were all
awaiting his arrival. When wheeled into the trauma bay,
Bruce had multiple obvious and visible injuries and a nearly
amputated left arm.
While the team was stitching, stapling, and compressing,
x-rays were obtained and Bruce was taken to the Emergency
Department’s CT scanner for further evaluation of his
internal injuries. While this evaluation was in progress, Bruce
was getting unit after unit of blood and human plasma
through a rapid infusion machine in an attempt to correct his
prior and continued blood loss.
Radiology tests confirmed what doctors feared. Bruce had
a horrific array of trauma injuries in addition to those already
known, including bleeding around and inside the brain in
multiple areas, extensive facial fractures, fractures of his
neck, upper and lower back with multiple fractures in each
site. He had also suffered a lung contusion, bleeding inside
his chest, 10 fractured ribs, bleeding in his abdomen
including bleeding from his right kidney and liver, multiple
pelvic fractures and a complex right hip socket fracture.
Such an extensive and complex degree of injuries in one
patient is sobering to even to a seasoned trauma team like
the one at PRMC. With game faces on, they worked feverishly
to save Bruce’s life, but privately there was the realization
that he was facing a very difficult challenge; one that very few
people in his condition survive. “It was touch and go for a
long time,” said Tanna. “We’re just so glad that everyone was
there and knew what to do.”
Following this evaluation, a decision was made to take
Bruce for immediate surgery in a further attempt to stop his
internal bleeding. Amazingly, he was still alive, and now
considered stable enough for transport to the operating
room.
In the OR, Bruce had Trauma Damage Control Surgery,
where the goal is to stop and repair major bleeding only. This
style of trauma surgery has an emphasis on limiting the time
a patient spends on the table and under general anesthesia,
with minor injuries to be corrected at a later time. Bruce was
then taken to the ICU for further stabilization.
Bruce continued to stabilize in the ICU and returned to the
operating room multiple times in the following days and
weeks for various corrective surgeries.
Bruce’s care team grew to include specialists from
Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Ophthalmology, Plastic
Surgery and Rehab Medicine in addition to Anesthesia and
the Trauma Surgeon who initiated his operating room
journey.
Bruce would spend 43 days in PRMC’s ICU before being
transferred to Bryn Mawr Rehab in Pennsylvania, where he
would spend an additional 10 weeks, ultimately awakening
from his coma.
Bruce then transitioned to home with family support for
extensive home care and therapy despite his inability to walk
at that time. After a tremendous amount of effort and hard
work, he was able to walk unassisted only six months after
his accident. “There’s no doubt in our minds whatsoever that
the people at PRMC gave Bruce a second chance at life,”
added Tanna.
Today Bruce walks, laughs and converses with surprising
ease. He has recovered much of his former function,
although he’s limited to lifting no more than 20 pounds, and
is currently working on getting his driver’s license back. “I’ve
got an ‘05 Road King, a 730-pound Harley that I’m hoping to
get converted to a trike so I can ride again,” said Bruce. “I
can’t do everything I could before the accident, but I feel
good and I can’t thank everybody enough.”
Getting “Back” to Life
Ralph Greene takes the first ride on his Harley Davidson motorcycle since
endoscopic spine surgery at PRMC. Joining him outside the Peninsula
Orthopaedic Associates, P.A. office in Salisbury is orthopaedic spine
surgeon Scott McGovern, MD.
Passion and dedication. 68-year-old Ralph Greene of
Nanticoke, Maryland will tell you he has both. His golf
game—at a 30 handicap—is equal parts dedication and
frustration. His passion, however, is his Harley, which he’s
ridden for 53 years and in all 50 states.
(Story continues on page 6)
5HEALTHFOCUS | Winter 2012
www.peninsula.org