Doctors detail shark attack injuries suffered by 8-year-old boy off Key Largo
Doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital said there were significant challenges treating an 8-year-old boy who was bitten by a blacktip shark off Key Largo on Monday afternoon.
Richard Burrows and his 10-year-old sister Rose were snorkeling with their dad when the boy suffered the bite.
Doctors detail injuries
"There were big longitudinal cuts that were down to the bone and the knee joint and the middle part of the leg and much smaller ones surrounding it as well," said Dr. Vincente Nelson, a trauma surgeon at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
"There were 15 to 20 cuts down the leg."
Nelson said Richard had bites on his left shoulder and right knee and three major cuts around his right knee.
"Those lacerations were deep and he lost a lot of blood," Nelson said. "It would have been a lot more if someone had not been there and applied the tourniquets. When he arrived, he had two tourniquets that had been appropriately placed."
Concerns about joint damage
Dr. Brian Grottkau, chief of pediatric orthopedics at Holtz Children's Hospital, also treated Richard and explained the risk associated with the injuries.
"Based on where the injury was, we were worried about contamination of the joint because if the joint gets contaminated, it can get infected and lose cartilage and they can get early arthritis," Grottkau said.
Nelson added, "Thankfully, there was no vascular injury and no major neurological injury. Because of that, I felt comfortable taking care of that myself."
Remarkable recovery and return home
Doctors said Richard was able to go home on Wednesday after what they called a remarkable recovery.
"He was just a delight and asking when I can get out," Grottkau said.
Doctors said Richard will begin physical therapy in a few weeks and should be able to play soccer again in six to eight weeks.
When asked when he could return to the ocean, they smiled and said that would be up to his parents.