He really hit the mark. But that didn't mean it was a good thing.
A construction worker miraculously survived and retained his eyesight after his nail gun malfunctioned and a 3cm nail went into his eye and into his brain.
Doctors in Malaysia were able to safely remove the nail using nail-biting surgery. And a 30-year-old man also had his eyesight restored after a freak accident at work. According to medical research It was published this week.
The male foreign worker was using a pneumatic nail gun without wearing safety glasses. His equipment malfunctioned, and when he peered into the gun barrel to inspect it, he accidentally drove a nail into his left eye.
Doctors said he complained of noticeable pain in his left eye (which was bleeding extensively) and a headache, but had no other obvious problems and was fully cooperative and cognitive when he arrived at the hospital.
They noted that the patient could not see out of his eyes.
Doctors immediately gave him a tetanus shot, IV antibiotics, and anti-seizure medication.
Shocking X-ray images show a 3.2cm long nail deeply embedded in the frontal lobe of the man's brain, which is essential for movement and language. The bleeding had spread to other parts of the brain.
He also suffered a wound to the lateral canthus of his left eye (the area where the eyelids meet) and fractures to the roof and base of his left orbit, according to the study published in the medical journal Cureus.
Research suggests the nail somehow missed vital arteries and nerves, sparing him long-term damage.
He underwent emergency brain surgery, which was successful, and doctors repaired his eyelids.
“The nail was successfully removed in isolation, and there was no active bleeding after nail removal,” the doctors wrote.
Doctors hydrated his eyes daily and fitted him with a brace while he was in the hospital. He was discharged from the hospital five days later.
“After the surgery, the patient made a smooth recovery with no neurological deficits,” doctors said.
Although the eye appeared to be healing well, the man still could not see light through his left eye and was unable to close it properly after a week. He returned to his home country for further treatment.
“This case highlights the importance of wearing appropriate personal protective equipment at work,” the study confirmed.
