0:00:05 > 0:00:07With mind boggling medical mishaps...
0:00:07 > 0:00:10and the quirkiest of casualties.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13My boyfriend dropped a turnip on my foot.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16This is Bizarre ER...
0:00:19 > 0:00:22And for the first time we've camped out in not one but two hospitals -
0:00:22 > 0:00:27Northampton General and Bradford Royal Infirmary.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29PHONE RINGS Hello.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34To bring you the curious cases that are all in a day's work for the stoic staff.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Can you see your pound coin there?
0:00:36 > 0:00:39But which have to be seen to be believed.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Plus we've scoured the planet for the people who, thanks to
0:00:43 > 0:00:49amazing medics, have survived the most extraordinary accidents and emergencies known to man.
0:00:49 > 0:00:55Nobody believes they're going to get the Black Death.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00So scrub up, sit back and enjoy the sometimes silly, often odd,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03but never dull world of Bizarre ER.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08- All I can say is thank heavens for the NHS.- Thank you.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Coming up... a biking blunder causes one man's metalwork to make a bid for freedom.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32It's punching through the end there. It's not great.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37A freaky forest accident leaves a woodsman with a wrecked wrist.
0:01:37 > 0:01:38I've seen it once... it looked bad enough.
0:01:41 > 0:01:48And a story of how two Norwegian adventurers' Arctic expedition turned to terror when they were
0:01:48 > 0:01:51attacked in their sleep by a deadly polar bear.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Polar bears are strong animals, it can take just seconds to kill a person.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02But first we're heading for Northampton where young thrill seeker Luke
0:02:02 > 0:02:09has arrived at A&E with his face in a state after being injured in a bizarre trolley dash.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Not knowing you can fall off an old granny trolley.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Luke was building a go-kart with his friends, but their makeshift machine
0:02:18 > 0:02:21was little more than a chair attached to a skateboard.
0:02:23 > 0:02:29Boys being boys they were on the hunt for material to make the king of home-made carts.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34By chance a kind old lady offered up her old shopping trolley for parts.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The mini mechanics leapt at the chance to pimp their ride.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Hey boys, how about this for a real set of wheels?
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Daring Luke decided to take the trolley for a spin
0:02:43 > 0:02:48before they took it apart, but it was a descent of doom.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51As he was speeding down the slope the handle came free,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Luke fell forward hitting his lip on the metal pole
0:02:54 > 0:03:00where the handle should be, leaving him and the trolley in pieces.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Boys will be boys,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05but I don't understand why he tried
0:03:05 > 0:03:08to ride the blasted thing. I really don't understand that.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Alert viewers may have spotted that Luke's also red around the eyes.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15but those pink peepers aren't due to the crash.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Bizarrely they're the product of a friend's felt tip.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21My mate drew on me last night.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26Probably not much medics can do with the weird eye dye...
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Let's crack on and do this.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32But nurse Simon's wheeled in to repair Luke's lip.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35- You need to be brave, all right? - Simon gets straight to work.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37It'll make his eyes water. Ready?
0:03:37 > 0:03:40He numbs the area with an injection...
0:03:40 > 0:03:45- Might make your nose go numb as well. - ..Before giving the wound a wash.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49And then sets about stitching up our junior speed freak.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Makes it a bit easier that he hasn't started shaving yet cos the stubble gets in the way.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Three stitches later and Simon's job's done.
0:04:07 > 0:04:08OK, mate.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12So not the most enjoyable pit stop for our fearless trolley jockey,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15but at least he only escaped with a minor prang.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Now he'll have a scar for the rest of his life for a silly little thing
0:04:18 > 0:04:20so he felt a bit sorry for himself.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Time for the family to head home, but Dad suspects it won't be long
0:04:24 > 0:04:27before our budding Lewis Hamilton is back in A&E.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30You just never know with him... he's one of those accident prone boys.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33He can go out and come back with a smile or he can come back with
0:04:33 > 0:04:38his head or his lip or his arm gashed open. I shall probably keep him in for the next two days.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43Let's hope Luke's getting a lift home from Dad rather than riding that trolley home.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52Next we're heading to Bradford, which has been a scene of a dogfight
0:04:52 > 0:04:55and one that Andrew Stocking seems to have lost.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00Bizarrely and embarrassingly for Andrew, he's not been savaged by his best mate's Rottweiler,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03but by a somewhat less menacing mutt.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08A fluffy, curly haired terrier thing bit me.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I'm a bit gutted to be honest with you, cos I would rather have been
0:05:11 > 0:05:16bitten by a Rottweiler so I had a story to tell rather than some pooch thing no bigger than my shin.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22Andrew's problem began in the park when best mate Sinead's colossal canine Delta
0:05:22 > 0:05:26attracted the unwanted attention of a tiny but terrifying terrier.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Andrew stepped in to pick up the pint sized pooch only for Delta
0:05:32 > 0:05:36to belatedly locate her inner Rottweiler and nip at the terrier's tail.
0:05:36 > 0:05:42In return the yappy little Yorkie decided to take a chunk out of Andrew's arm.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Taking the lead in treating Andrew is Bradford Royal Infirmary's
0:05:50 > 0:05:55very own little terrier, nurse practitioner May Ureeta.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00I might be small, but watch me, I can be feisty. I'm terrible.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Let's just take a look at your arm.
0:06:03 > 0:06:09The doggy denture marks may not look deep but they could be hiding damage to nerves and tendons.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Make a fist. Straighten them again.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16So May first checks Andrew's not lost any function in his hand and fingers.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18Any pain here? Any pain there?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20- Yeah, that hurts.- Yes.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Although it's not just the potential nerve damage bothering May.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Those need cleaning.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- I know, I know. - Andrew, you dirty little pup.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Straighten all those fingers.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34The worst scenario is really getting infection
0:06:34 > 0:06:38on the bone itself. I don't think this happens in this case.
0:06:38 > 0:06:44As you can see as I'm trying to squash the bones inside and he's not got pain in it.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47So the tiny terror hasn't caused any lasting damage but dogs have
0:06:47 > 0:06:51got filthy mouths packed full of disease-causing bacteria.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55And May wants to ensure Andrew hasn't picked up any nasty infections.
0:06:55 > 0:07:00I don't think he's going to be lucky cos he will be needing some injection for tetanus.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03So I need to stab you in the shoulder.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I don't really like needles, to be honest with you.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10It's Andrew's second run-in of the day with a small feisty character.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14- Sharp scratch.- And he's not winning this one either.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18It just leaves his wound to be cleaned and dressed,
0:07:21 > 0:07:26so nurse Rachel Naylor washes the wound thoroughly, applies an antiseptic strip
0:07:26 > 0:07:31to combat any bacteria and gives Andrew instructions to come back if there's any sign of infection.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32He's also learnt a valuable lesson.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36I'll start running from all the little poodles now instead
0:07:36 > 0:07:39of the big pit bulls and stuff coming running towards me.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Sounds a bit barking to me, Andrew.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55Man's best friend can, it turns out, also be his worst enemy.
0:07:55 > 0:08:01A shocking 100 people a week were admitted to A&E after being mauled,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03maimed or munched on by a mutt.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07But these doggy disasters can be avoided if you know how.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Signs that Fido's about to go loco include...
0:08:16 > 0:08:21When confronted with a mad mongrel, don't panic as flailing limbs are
0:08:21 > 0:08:24the first thing a peeved pooch will pounce on.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27Instead, put your hands in your pockets,
0:08:27 > 0:08:33avoid eye contact, and back off slowly without any sudden movements.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37If you are unlucky enough to have a canine clamp onto you,
0:08:37 > 0:08:41then don't try to pull away as this could tear the flesh.
0:08:41 > 0:08:47But hounds can help as well as harm and some experts think that canines can sniff out tumours.
0:08:47 > 0:08:53Cancer cells create chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds and it's thought that these give
0:08:53 > 0:08:57off a distinctive odour that dogs can detect.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02Maureen Burns is convinced her collie cross Max saved her life
0:09:02 > 0:09:08after he became mopey and began sniffing at her breath and nudging her right breast.
0:09:08 > 0:09:15As a result she spotted a suspicious lump and doctors could act quickly to remove her breast cancer ensuring
0:09:15 > 0:09:19that Maureen and Max will be going walkies for many more years to come.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Next we're heading back to Northampton General where
0:09:27 > 0:09:34A&E is about to be turned into a bloody hell following the arrival of countryside ranger Matty Jones.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39Our ranger's in danger as he's ripped open his wrist
0:09:39 > 0:09:43after his arm was pulled into the path of his own billhook.
0:09:43 > 0:09:44- I don't want to see this. - Ah, you're OK.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46I've seen it once, it looked bad enough.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50It's easily the bloodiest wound we've ever featured on Bizarre ER.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53So if you're not a fan of the red stuff, look away now.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Staff need to risk removing the dressing to get a good look at the gushing gash.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05OK, that's still bleeding a little bit.
0:10:05 > 0:10:06We did a good job stopping that.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Come on, get that on there.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It's going...the artery.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Just have a little... Nearly got you.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Put your hand up there.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Right, I'll just hold it up there and press on it.
0:10:23 > 0:10:28A billhook is an 8-inch steel blade, a bit like a machete.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33Doctors are worried that Matty's mishap with the machete has cut through tendons which could
0:10:33 > 0:10:36lead to loss of function in the hand and fingers.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Dr Ejiro steps in to assess the damage.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Argh!
0:10:42 > 0:10:44What was that?
0:10:44 > 0:10:49- Just releasing that made it hurt. - Move your fingers again.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52That's fine. I was waiting for some visors, did that squirt in any direction?
0:10:54 > 0:11:00Eyes now protected from the spurting blood, Dr Ejiro goes in for a closer look.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Oh, that's the inside of my body.
0:11:09 > 0:11:16She's spotted what's getting Matty's red juices flowing, a severed artery inside the wrist.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19So we can actually see the artery that's been cut,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22the end of it, the white thing, it just needs to be cleaned out
0:11:22 > 0:11:25properly because there's a blood clot in there.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29That's not your flesh, that's just a blood clot.
0:11:29 > 0:11:35Matty's given a local anaesthetic to ease the pain but this is only the start of his treatment.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39The average heart pumps around five litres of blood per minute.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43With all that claret flooding his arteries it's crucial that surgeons
0:11:43 > 0:11:46patch up Matty's painful pruning so he's rushed to theatre...
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Chop-chop.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52After a general anaesthetic Matty's wheeled in
0:11:52 > 0:11:57and his wrecked wrist is prepared with an antiseptic iodine solution.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01This might be a good moment for more squeamish viewers
0:12:01 > 0:12:07to pop out and put the kettle on as Matty's operation involves some pretty gory procedures.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Surgeons start by widening the wound
0:12:11 > 0:12:15so they can get better access to the nerves, veins and tendons in the wrist.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19One of the tendons has been partially severed and unless it's
0:12:19 > 0:12:24successfully repaired, Matty could lose the use of some of his hand.
0:12:24 > 0:12:30The tendon is carefully stitched back together before attention turns to the severed artery.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39Incredibly, using a thread finer than a human hair surgeons are able to sew the two
0:12:39 > 0:12:45ends of the artery back together and before long the pulse in his wrist is back in action.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51All that remains is for the muscle and skin to be stitched back
0:12:51 > 0:12:54together before our woodsman is roused.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59Hello, Matty, open your mouth wide for me, open your mouth wide.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01And wheeled off to recover.
0:13:14 > 0:13:20Seven weeks later and our wounded woodsman's checking in for a check up.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25It's healed really well and your movement is terrific so you're very lucky.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27It's all gone well really.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30You'll always have a bit of a scar there, you'll have to make up a dramatic story for how you got it.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33I think the real one's quite dramatic.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39I'll say we took on a bear, shoved my hand in its mouth.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- Saved a kitten.- Yeah, that's it.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43With his wrist healing nicely, and physio going well,
0:13:43 > 0:13:48- Matty should be back whacking at the wood within the week.- Brilliant.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51Matty should be fine.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55I think he'll go back completely to normal and he'll just have a scar
0:13:55 > 0:13:58to remind him to be a bit careful with bill hooks in future.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02Looks like everything will be rosy for our countryside ranger.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Well, you might expect a tree surgeon to come a cropper with his chopper.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13If you go down to the woods today you too could
0:14:13 > 0:14:18become one of the 19,000 people sent to triage by trees each year.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24A mistake made by many is sheltering under a tree during a storm,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28which can prove fatal as it can act as a conductor for lightning.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Being cosseted in your car won't offer total protection either,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36as whole trees have a nasty habit of falling on cars during high winds.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Yeah, hi, Mum, you know you said I could use the car...
0:14:39 > 0:14:46And even if you dodge a tumbling trunk you may still fall foul of a nasty branch like Michelle Childers
0:14:46 > 0:14:51who thankfully survived being impaled on a 13-inch branch whilst cruising in her car.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56It's not just forest giants who could have you leaving the copse as a corpse.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59As there are poisonous plants a-plenty.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Laburnum can be lethal, Yew berries might spell the end of you
0:15:03 > 0:15:07and just a nibble on Foxglove can lead to diarrhoea,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09delirium and death.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14Even seeds can cause calamity, just ask Russian Artyom Sidorkin who
0:15:14 > 0:15:20needed tree surgery when his lungs sprouted leaves after he unknowingly swallowed a fir tree seed.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22As we say in Russia... no need for Christmas tree.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25But plant perils aren't confined to the great outdoors
0:15:25 > 0:15:30and you can be floored by flora in the most unlikely of places.
0:15:30 > 0:15:37Milton Keynes maintenance man Carl Woodridge was pruning a 30 foot cactus in a shopping centre
0:15:37 > 0:15:39when the plant sprayed toxic sap
0:15:39 > 0:15:44onto his face, causing blistering and temporary blindness.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Where's the cactus, where's the cactus? There.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49But the most hazardous herb is tobacco.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Not only does it endanger drivers who try to light a crafty fag while behind the wheel and injure
0:15:53 > 0:16:00sweater lovers so eager to get into their new jummy that they pull it on with a lit cigarette in their mouth.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Ah, have you still got the receipt?
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Tobacco also kills one person every six seconds,
0:16:07 > 0:16:12making this lowly weed the deadliest plant on the planet.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Bizarre cases aren't just confined to Britain
0:16:19 > 0:16:25and this series we've scoured the globe to bring you the world's most extraordinary emergencies.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30Far north in the Arctic Circle, what was meant to be the trip
0:16:30 > 0:16:34of a lifetime for one adventurer became a desperate fight for life
0:16:34 > 0:16:39when he was dragged from his tent by the skull crushing jaws of a bloodthirsty bear.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Norwegian childhood chums Sebastian and Ludwig
0:16:51 > 0:16:59were planning their dream expedition to be the first ever to kayak around the remote island of Svalbard.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04But their dream turned into a Nordic nightmare when they were attacked
0:17:04 > 0:17:08by the largest land predator on earth - a polar bear.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21Sebastian an Ludwig had been on many adventures together - this though would be their most ambitious.
0:17:21 > 0:17:27Svalbard is located in the Arctic about halfway between Norway and the North Pole.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29The island is not only home to the most breathtaking views on
0:17:29 > 0:17:34the planet but also to 3,000 deadly polar bears.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Polar bears are strong animals,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41There is no doubt about the strength of this king of the Arctic.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46With paws up to 12 inches across and canine teeth a massive 10cm long,
0:17:46 > 0:17:52these fearsome predators often kill by crushing the skull.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55They go for the neck and the head.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58It can take seconds just to kill a person.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Our adventurers knew the dangers, though, and had come prepared.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11They were carrying rifles and would set up a trip wire system which meant that if a bear wandered
0:18:11 > 0:18:16into their camp flares would be set off alerting our explorers.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Having kayaked through the night the lads settled down for some
0:18:20 > 0:18:23well-earned rest feeling safe behind their fortress of flares and wire.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27But they weren't as well protected as they hoped.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34While the boys slept, the Arctic's most ferocious predator crept towards their tent.
0:18:34 > 0:18:40Against all the odds the lumbering beast unwittingly dodged the trip wire
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and this bear was all set for its picnic.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51The next thing I remember was Sebastian screaming.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55He grabbed my head and he dragged me out of the tent.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00The bear dragged Sebastian 30 metres from the campsite literally by the scruff of his neck.
0:19:00 > 0:19:05By sod's law setting off two flares on his way out.
0:19:05 > 0:19:11He tried to crush my head and he shook me side to side.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14The bear was trying to crush Sebastian's skull.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18So very painful when he bit really hard.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22The 42 razor-sharp teeth sank deeper into his neck.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24He was alive but in agony.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27As Ludwig grabbed his rifle, the bear reared up onto his hind legs
0:19:27 > 0:19:33to its full three metres with Sebastian in its jaws.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Ludwig took aim knowing that he had to bring the bear down
0:19:36 > 0:19:41but also aware that a poor shot could kill his best friend.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Thankfully Ludwig's aim was good,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48the bear dropped Sebastian and after four more shots
0:19:48 > 0:19:51the creature was dead.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58This footage shot at the time shows the scene of devastation
0:19:58 > 0:20:04while a badly bleeding Sebastian only just made it back to the tent.
0:20:04 > 0:20:11The danger was far from over and with Sebastian struggling to stay alive Ludwig made a Mayday call.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16In such a remote location it could take up to four hours for help to
0:20:16 > 0:20:19arrive and with the scent of human blood acting as an open invitation
0:20:19 > 0:20:25to other hungry bears in the neighbourhood, it was a race against time to secure both boys' safety.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32I have only heard of one person who was attacked and still is alive.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35I thought he might be skinned and badly bitten.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43I ran into the tent. He was in a lot of pain.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48I moved him as quickly as we could inside the helicopter.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Finally, Sebastian was on his way to hospital but his ordeal wasn't over.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56He'd lost a lot of blood and his body was in shock.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01At the hospital Dr Kari Hansen was preparing to save Sebastian's life.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07He might have had internal injuries to the head because he had bites
0:21:07 > 0:21:10in the head 10-15 cm all the way to the skull.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12The wounds in his shoulder they were pretty deep, there would
0:21:12 > 0:21:18be a lot of damage inside and it might have punctured his lung.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23X-rays revealed that Sebastian had been incredibly lucky.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28His head and lungs were OK, but the huge flesh wounds were just as worrying as the bear's
0:21:28 > 0:21:32germ-packed jaws could have left him with a deadly infection.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35There will always be a lot of bacterias in the wound
0:21:35 > 0:21:41but we didn't know if this bear attacked because it was hungry or if it was because he had rabies.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Dr Kari had to work rapidly as rabies, if not identified
0:21:45 > 0:21:50and treated quickly, causes a slow and painful death.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54Sebastian was put to sleep and operated on so that doctors could
0:21:54 > 0:21:57clean and cut away any potentially infected skin and muscle.
0:21:57 > 0:22:04We had to remove all tissue that might be infected and that turned out to be a good deal, actually,
0:22:04 > 0:22:11because the injuries to the muscles, injuries to the tendons, they were much larger than we anticipated.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Thanks to the skilful surgeons and his best friend's quick
0:22:15 > 0:22:21and courageous actions, Sebastian emerged from surgery relatively unscathed.
0:22:21 > 0:22:28If the polar bear had some more time to actually try to kill him he would have killed him easily.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30He really was lucky.
0:22:31 > 0:22:39After six days in hospital a sore but amazingly alive and fully functioning Sebastian was released.
0:22:39 > 0:22:46This accident won't stop us from going trips together because accidents can happen.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48My friend saved my life.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01We're always on the look out for weird wounds on Bizarre ER.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04And this next one in Northampton has been served to us on a plate...
0:23:04 > 0:23:06a metal plate to be precise.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11Five months earlier, after a mountain bike mishap, Edward
0:23:11 > 0:23:16broke his collarbone and a steel plate was put in to help it heal.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21Earlier today this pesky plate made an unexpected bid for freedom.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24That across there you can see the scar, the original scar
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and what's happened is it's punctured through the end there.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33The skin wearing down over the metal plate, that's quite bizarre, definitely.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Edward loves nothing more than whizzing about on his beloved
0:23:36 > 0:23:40mountain bike but our hero's hobby was to be his undoing.
0:23:40 > 0:23:46A biking blunder sent Edward hurtling over the handlebars causing him to break his collarbone.
0:23:46 > 0:23:51Fortunately doctors could mend his cracked clavicle using a steel plate
0:23:51 > 0:23:54but Edward's run of bad luck wasn't over.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Although it wasn't haring about on his bike that caused his next calamity.
0:23:58 > 0:24:03- I fancy a cup of tea. - On his way to the kitchen to make a cuppa our unlucky hero tripped and
0:24:03 > 0:24:10landed on exactly the same broken bone causing his metalwork to shoot straight out of his left shoulder.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15First Edward needs to have his bizarre bionic shoulder pad X-rayed
0:24:15 > 0:24:19to reveal just how far the protruding plate has slipped.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23With the results in, the damage is assessed by Dr Tristan Dyer.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28Looking on the X-ray you can see that the skin is very tight over the top of the bit of metal.
0:24:28 > 0:24:35He could get a nasty infection within the bone so if he hadn't come in then he'd have had serious problems.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41To prevent infection Edward's being given antibiotics and the wound is cleaned.
0:24:41 > 0:24:49Medics have also decided that the plate needs to go so our BMX bandit swaps his beloved bike
0:24:49 > 0:24:54for a less impressive pair of wheels as he's sent up to the ward to wait for surgery.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02It's the big day and Edward's gearing up for his off the shoulder number.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07I'm just about to go down to have the plate removed, quite looking forward to it in a strange kind of way.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11The plate was originally inserted to help the broken collarbone fuse
0:25:11 > 0:25:15and would have been removed anyway once the bones had knitted together.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19As it's now doing more harm than good it can make an early exit.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21This gentleman fractured his clavicle, his collarbone.
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Normally there are some ligaments here which hold the collarbone should be down here.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28What's happened is he's ruptured those ligaments and the collarbone
0:25:28 > 0:25:32has popped up like this which means that the plate was protruding.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35So today we're just going to remove all the metalwork out.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40In theatre the team are ready to get to grips with their medical Meccano set, this might be the point
0:25:40 > 0:25:44for more squeamish viewers to avert their eyes.
0:25:44 > 0:25:50The surgeon starts by slicing open his shoulder revealing the plate in all its gory glory.
0:25:51 > 0:25:58To release the plate, the screws need to be removed using what else but a common or garden screwdriver.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02With the screws out the plate finally wins its bid for freedom
0:26:02 > 0:26:06but the plate hasn't been without its uses.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08The operation reveals Edward's collarbone has healed nicely.
0:26:08 > 0:26:14You can see here it's all moving as one, there's no obvious break or fracture.
0:26:14 > 0:26:20So there's no need to insert another plate and the only thing left to do is stitch Edward up.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23You can sew it together now.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26The skilful surgeons might have made this look as easy as
0:26:26 > 0:26:31falling off a bike but it could have been far more complicated.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34There's always potential that things could be a bit more difficult, especially screw heads can break
0:26:34 > 0:26:38or it can be very stuck down and it can be difficult to get out.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43Pleased with how it went, hopefully the patient will be happy with the result and it's good news for him
0:26:43 > 0:26:46that the bone had healed up and there was no evidence of any infection.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55A few weeks later, Edward's been reunited with his trusty steed.
0:26:55 > 0:27:01It's been probably about six months since the original injury, so it's quite a long time, it's half a year
0:27:01 > 0:27:05to have stuff going on and being in slings and in and out of hospital.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10It feels good to finally be over and hopefully get back to normal life again.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Before you kind of think you're indestructible but till stuff like
0:27:16 > 0:27:20this happens you realise that you are actually quite fragile,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23so I think I'll be a little bit wary and get some more padding.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Next time on Bizarre ER...
0:27:34 > 0:27:38A Bradford rag and bone man nearly turns his hand into scrap,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41a bouncy castle calamity results in a splitting head...
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Never try and do the waltz on a a bouncy castle.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48And we tell the amazing story of how this man grabbed the headlines
0:27:48 > 0:27:52when he became the first person in medical history to undergo
0:27:52 > 0:27:56a full successful hand transplant.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00I will never ever forget what was given to me.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:24 > 0:28:27E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk