Motorsport impalement

Motorsport can be a thrilling affair but it’s not without its risks. Motorbike riders in particular can present injuries that can be problematic to those responding. Helmets and protective clothing can inhibit identifying bleeding injuries, increasing the urgency for swift action. However in the following account the bleeding site was more obvious to the paramedics at the scene, where they used Celox Gauze to treat an arterial bleed from a penetrating foreign object.

When motorcycles travelling at 150mph decide they don’t want riders on them anymore, blood is spilt frequently. There are a huge variety of injuries that can be faced. Unlike at a racetrack, at road races there is still full roadside furniture in place – walls, hedges, pavements, benches etc. The last time I used Celox on a race day was using Celox Gauze to pack an impalement to a lower leg, with a suspected nick to the popliteal artery. Where the rider came off his bike he had hit hedging at a speed between 90-100mph and a branch had pierced his leathers, and further to that, his leg. Once again, Celox gauze stemmed the blood flow almost instantly and took the rush out of dealing with the casualty, allowing us more time to work on stabilising other injuries.

Motorsport medic