❓ Minister McGinty provides a detailed update on Terry Vo's condition after a tragic accident involving limb amputations and subsequent reimplantation surgery. He commends the medical teams involved and expresses optimism for the child's recovery.
AnsweredQoN 5Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
After the tragic accident involving 10-year-old Terry Vo at the weekend, will the minister inform the house of his progress at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Girrawheen for the question and for some notice of it. On Saturday, 26 March, 10-year-old Terry Vo sustained a crush amputation of both lower forearms and his lower left leg from the collapse of overhead brickwork after hanging from a basketball ring following a slam dunk. I was heartened to hear of Terry’s progress after what was likely to have been an Australian and world first in implantation surgery; that is, the implantation of three limbs at once. Terry’s injuries included amputation of his right forearm three centimetres above the wrist, amputation of his left forearm in the middle, and amputation of his left leg eight centimetres above the ankle. More than 25 operating theatre staff from Princess Margaret, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals worked through the night to save Terry’s limbs. I would particularly like to thank the anaesthetists Dr Tanya Farrell and registrar Sharon Smedley; orthopaedic surgeons Mr Michael Holt and Dr Sven Goebel; and plastic surgeons Mr Robert Love, Dr Roger Woods, Mr Anthony Williams, Dr Ian Timms, Mr Han Nguyen and Dr Paul Quinn. Because the medical team was able to perform the surgery within five hours, Terry has a better than 90 per cent chance of regaining the full use of his arms and leg. A review of the wounds yesterday morning revealed that the skin coverage of both forearm amputation sites is healthy and that 80 per cent of the skin used in the flaps to cover the crushed area of the lower leg is healthy, with 20 per cent likely to require further grafting or flaps. The surgeon is attempting to improve the viability of the compromised skin by the medieval practice of applying leeches. Compromised blood flow in skin flaps means that venous blood is not able to freely flow from the skin. Leeches remove the venous blood and so improve overall blood flow to the skin flaps. Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Girrawheen for the question and for some notice of it. On Saturday, 26 March, 10-year-old Terry Vo sustained a crush amputation of both lower forearms and his lower left leg from the collapse of overhead brickwork after hanging from a basketball ring following a slam dunk. I was heartened to hear of Terry’s progress after what was likely to have been an Australian and world first in implantation surgery; that is, the implantation of three limbs at once. Terry’s injuries included amputation of his right forearm three centimetres above the wrist, amputation of his left forearm in the middle, and amputation of his left leg eight centimetres above the ankle. More than 25 operating theatre staff from Princess Margaret, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals worked through the night to save Terry’s limbs. I would particularly like to thank the anaesthetists Dr Tanya Farrell and registrar Sharon Smedley; orthopaedic surgeons Mr Michael Holt and Dr Sven Goebel; and plastic surgeons Mr Robert Love, Dr Roger Woods, Mr Anthony Williams, Dr Ian Timms, Mr Han Nguyen and Dr Paul Quinn. Because the medical team was able to perform the surgery within five hours, Terry has a better than 90 per cent chance of regaining the full use of his arms and leg. A review of the wounds yesterday morning revealed that the skin coverage of both forearm amputation sites is healthy and that 80 per cent of the skin used in the flaps to cover the crushed area of the lower leg is healthy, with 20 per cent likely to require further grafting or flaps. The surgeon is attempting to improve the viability of the compromised skin by the medieval practice of applying leeches. Compromised blood flow in skin flaps means that venous blood is not able to freely flow from the skin. Leeches remove the venous blood and so improve overall blood flow to the skin flaps. Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
I thank the member for Girrawheen for the question and for some notice of it. On Saturday, 26 March, 10-year-old Terry Vo sustained a crush amputation of both lower forearms and his lower left leg from the collapse of overhead brickwork after hanging from a basketball ring following a slam dunk. I was heartened to hear of Terry’s progress after what was likely to have been an Australian and world first in implantation surgery; that is, the implantation of three limbs at once. Terry’s injuries included amputation of his right forearm three centimetres above the wrist, amputation of his left forearm in the middle, and amputation of his left leg eight centimetres above the ankle. More than 25 operating theatre staff from Princess Margaret, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals worked through the night to save Terry’s limbs. I would particularly like to thank the anaesthetists Dr Tanya Farrell and registrar Sharon Smedley; orthopaedic surgeons Mr Michael Holt and Dr Sven Goebel; and plastic surgeons Mr Robert Love, Dr Roger Woods, Mr Anthony Williams, Dr Ian Timms, Mr Han Nguyen and Dr Paul Quinn. Because the medical team was able to perform the surgery within five hours, Terry has a better than 90 per cent chance of regaining the full use of his arms and leg. A review of the wounds yesterday morning revealed that the skin coverage of both forearm amputation sites is healthy and that 80 per cent of the skin used in the flaps to cover the crushed area of the lower leg is healthy, with 20 per cent likely to require further grafting or flaps. The surgeon is attempting to improve the viability of the compromised skin by the medieval practice of applying leeches. Compromised blood flow in skin flaps means that venous blood is not able to freely flow from the skin. Leeches remove the venous blood and so improve overall blood flow to the skin flaps. Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
__________
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Girrawheen for the question and for some notice of it. On Saturday, 26 March, 10-year-old Terry Vo sustained a crush amputation of both lower forearms and his lower left leg from the collapse of overhead brickwork after hanging from a basketball ring following a slam dunk. I was heartened to hear of Terry’s progress after what was likely to have been an Australian and world first in implantation surgery; that is, the implantation of three limbs at once. Terry’s injuries included amputation of his right forearm three centimetres above the wrist, amputation of his left forearm in the middle, and amputation of his left leg eight centimetres above the ankle. More than 25 operating theatre staff from Princess Margaret, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals worked through the night to save Terry’s limbs. I would particularly like to thank the anaesthetists Dr Tanya Farrell and registrar Sharon Smedley; orthopaedic surgeons Mr Michael Holt and Dr Sven Goebel; and plastic surgeons Mr Robert Love, Dr Roger Woods, Mr Anthony Williams, Dr Ian Timms, Mr Han Nguyen and Dr Paul Quinn. Because the medical team was able to perform the surgery within five hours, Terry has a better than 90 per cent chance of regaining the full use of his arms and leg. A review of the wounds yesterday morning revealed that the skin coverage of both forearm amputation sites is healthy and that 80 per cent of the skin used in the flaps to cover the crushed area of the lower leg is healthy, with 20 per cent likely to require further grafting or flaps. The surgeon is attempting to improve the viability of the compromised skin by the medieval practice of applying leeches. Compromised blood flow in skin flaps means that venous blood is not able to freely flow from the skin. Leeches remove the venous blood and so improve overall blood flow to the skin flaps. Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
I thank the member for Girrawheen for the question and for some notice of it. On Saturday, 26 March, 10-year-old Terry Vo sustained a crush amputation of both lower forearms and his lower left leg from the collapse of overhead brickwork after hanging from a basketball ring following a slam dunk. I was heartened to hear of Terry’s progress after what was likely to have been an Australian and world first in implantation surgery; that is, the implantation of three limbs at once. Terry’s injuries included amputation of his right forearm three centimetres above the wrist, amputation of his left forearm in the middle, and amputation of his left leg eight centimetres above the ankle. More than 25 operating theatre staff from Princess Margaret, Royal Perth and Fremantle Hospitals worked through the night to save Terry’s limbs. I would particularly like to thank the anaesthetists Dr Tanya Farrell and registrar Sharon Smedley; orthopaedic surgeons Mr Michael Holt and Dr Sven Goebel; and plastic surgeons Mr Robert Love, Dr Roger Woods, Mr Anthony Williams, Dr Ian Timms, Mr Han Nguyen and Dr Paul Quinn. Because the medical team was able to perform the surgery within five hours, Terry has a better than 90 per cent chance of regaining the full use of his arms and leg. A review of the wounds yesterday morning revealed that the skin coverage of both forearm amputation sites is healthy and that 80 per cent of the skin used in the flaps to cover the crushed area of the lower leg is healthy, with 20 per cent likely to require further grafting or flaps. The surgeon is attempting to improve the viability of the compromised skin by the medieval practice of applying leeches. Compromised blood flow in skin flaps means that venous blood is not able to freely flow from the skin. Leeches remove the venous blood and so improve overall blood flow to the skin flaps. Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
Terry has recovered from the surgery and was moved this morning from the intensive care unit to the plastic surgery ward. He will be able to move his fingers and toes; however, he will not have any sensation in his hands or his left foot for many months, but he will experience continual improvement in sensation for about two years. He will require further surgical treatment to provide full skin cover of his lower leg, using grafting or further skin flaps. Terry will require long-term rehabilitation to learn to use his hands and left foot in a way that makes best use of his returning sensory and fine-motor function. I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
I commend the St John Ambulance service and the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children for responding rapidly and exceptionally to this emergency to provide Terry with the best chance of a normal life following this terrible accident. It is a tribute to the excellence of our public hospital system. I am sure I speak for all members in extending congratulations and thanks to all of the doctors, nurses and other staff involved in this outstanding effort. The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
The SPEAKER: Question time is now concluded. House adjourned at 4.21 pm __________
__________
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