Source and Credits : The Standard



Race to save man's ear after road accident
29/08/2008

Doctors raced against time to reattach a man's ear after it was torn off during a three-vehicle accident in West Kowloon early yesterday. The man, in his early 20s, was traveling in a private car when the accident happened at about 4am on the West Kowloon Highway. His right ear was severed when the car rammed sideways into a stationary government vehicle.

Another passenger in the car also sustained head and ear injuries, but a third man was unhurt. All three denied being the car driver, police said. They were heading for the New Territories at 4am when near the Cheung Sha Wan wholesale food market office, their car collided with the government vehicle before hitting a taxi. The two injured men were admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital.

One was discharged after treatment while the other was transferred to Kwong Wah Hospital. Two of the men failed the alcohol test and were arrested for drink-driving. The case is under investigation.
Otorhinolaryngology specialist Ricky Ho Wai-ki said there is only a 50-50 chance of reattaching the ear successfully.

"As there are no main blood vessels in the ear, it may undergo necrosis even if the operation is successful. The worst case is his hearing will be affected," Ho said.

In a separate accident, a container truck, lorry and a bus collided at San Tin highway near Palm Springs in Lok Ma Chau, injuring five people and paralyzing traffic in the area for more than two hours. Slightly injured were four women on the bus, aged 18 to 38. They were taken to the North District Hospital for treatment.

The accident occurred at around 10am when the lorry slowed down, prompting the chain collision with the container truck and the bus, which were following behind. The crash caused a three- kilometer traffic jam at San Tin Road, Sheung Shui bound, forcing the Transport Department to close the fast and middle lanes.

Traffic resumed to normal at 1.43pm.