I JUST THINK OF WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR THEIR FAMILIES
I just think of what it's like for their families'
TWENTY-two of the most seriously injured victims of the bomb explosion in Omagh were sent to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Major specialist areas include neurosurgery, cardiac and chest surgery and plastic surgery. It also has a major burns unit, ear nose and throat department and specialists in anaesthetics.
Dr Lawrence Rocke, a consultant in the accident and emergency department, said: "Bomb victims often have a multitude of injuries.
"We had people with face and eye injuries, head, chest and abdominal injuries and severe burns.
"There were also people with multiple fractures. Many of those we saw needed four or five operations, some one after the other.
"If people have lost a limb, all we can really do is tidy it up. Often you get a situation where the limb is still attached, but will not work.
"Orthopaedic, vascular and plastic surgery might all be needed in that case.
"The major task is to connect everything up again, and make sure there is skin over the bone or the injury will not heal. It's complicated and involves several stages of surgery.
"Sometimes there's no chance of re-attaching the limb even if you've got it."
Dr Rocke said: "I dealt with my first explosion in 1972 as a junior doctor, and also the bomb blast in Shankill in 1993, and it doesn't get any easier to cope with.
"It's been very difficult, and you just think, 'Well if I'm having a hard time dealing with it, just think what it's like for the parents and families'."
TWENTY-two of the most seriously injured victims of the bomb explosion in Omagh were sent to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Major specialist areas include neurosurgery, cardiac and chest surgery and plastic surgery. It also has a major burns unit, ear nose and throat department and specialists in anaesthetics.
Dr Lawrence Rocke, a consultant in the accident and emergency department, said: "Bomb victims often have a multitude of injuries.
"We had people with face and eye injuries, head, chest and abdominal injuries and severe burns.
"There were also people with multiple fractures. Many of those we saw needed four or five operations, some one after the other.
"If people have lost a limb, all we can really do is tidy it up. Often you get a situation where the limb is still attached, but will not work.
"Orthopaedic, vascular and plastic surgery might all be needed in that case.
"The major task is to connect everything up again, and make sure there is skin over the bone or the injury will not heal. It's complicated and involves several stages of surgery.
"Sometimes there's no chance of re-attaching the limb even if you've got it."
Dr Rocke said: "I dealt with my first explosion in 1972 as a junior doctor, and also the bomb blast in Shankill in 1993, and it doesn't get any easier to cope with.
"It's been very difficult, and you just think, 'Well if I'm having a hard time dealing with it, just think what it's like for the parents and families'."
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/044
Published Date: 18-Aug-98
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