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Doctor describes treating girl (5) with stab wound over heart on Dublin street
Summary
A doctor who was cycling in Dublin city centre shortly after a number of children were injured with knives described treating a five-year-old girl who had a stab wound over her heart and appeared to have no pulse. Peter Harper, a consultant anaesthetist at Temple St Children's Hospital, was directed by a member of the Dublin Fire Brigade to the child, who had been stabbed in the chest. Paramedics were already performing chest compressions, and Dr Harper inserted a breathing tube. He said the child needed to be taken to an operating theatre immediately because chest compressions would not achieve anything unless blood loss was stopped. The child had no pulse, looked pale, and it was likely her heart had been perforated, causing cardiac arrest. Dr Harper contacted his colleagues at Temple Street to prepare the theatre and find a cardiothoracic surgeon. Dr Lisa Corley, a paediatric registrar at the Rotunda Hospital, had already ordered blood, which Dr Harper used to perform a transfusion in the ambulance on the way.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Doctor describes treating girl (5) with stab wound over heart on Dublin street. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- October 2023 Incident
- November 23rd, 2023 Incident
- 2026-06-17 Publication
Why: Dr Harper said it was clear the child needed to be brought to an operating theatre immediately because, he said, chest compressions are not going to achieve anything unless you stop the blood loss. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Dublin city
- Parnell Square
- Temple St Children's Hospital
- Rotunda Hospital
- Mater Hospital
- Parnell Square
- Temple Street
- Hugh Lane
- O'Connell Street
- Dublin
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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