Five-year-old accident victim makes progress

There is no shortage of horror stories which come out of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital… and we here at News Five have reported more than our share. Tonight, however, take a look at a young patient and his doctors who have managed to defy the conventional wisdom.

On November twenty-fifth five-year-old Andyvan Andrews was crushed by a dump truck in the Port Loyola area of Belize City. In addition to a broken back, and mangled lungs Andyvan also had his right arm and left hand literally ripped from the bone. Today, thanks to some quality health care at K.H.M.H., Andyvan has limited use of both hands and is expected to recover.

Dr. Victor Rosado, Head of Pediatrics, K.H.M.H.

"The treatment basically was done by a multi-disciplinary team. He was received by a team of doctors in accident and emergency who stabilized him. Andyvan had massive internal injuries and what you call avulsion of tissue on both arms, practically the bone was showing on both arms. So he had to be given intravenous fluids and quickly stabilized for surgery. And in the surgery Dr. Jose Moguel, Dr. Francis Smith and Dr. Andre Sosa had the job of painstakingly putting back all his nerves, his blood vessels, his muscles together in both arms. It took about six hours with about five surgeons."

Those surgeons were assisted by other professionals who prevented infection and blunted his terrible pain. Andyvan’s mother, Vinneth White, never thought she would see this day.

Vinette White, Andyvan’s Mother

"I would like to say thanks to the nurses and the doctors because when Dr. Smith came to me the day when Andyvan’s hand was off he told me that could never see how he could put on Andyvan’s hand back. So I tell him any amount of money he could charge me please put on back the hand."

Dr. Victor Rosado

"If Andyvan had arrived at Karl Heusner I would say about four years ago probably both arms would have been amputated, so we have to be proud of his recuperation today."

And the proof that Andyvan’s recovery is for real came in the form of a Christmas gift from Minister of Health Joe Coye. Not only will the model sports car break the boredom of his convalescence but the radio controller will provide his tiny fingers with plenty of exercise. Stewart Krohn for News Five.

The cost of Andyvan’s medical care was provided by the motor vehicle insurance carried by the truck which hit him.