Health

X-ray shows chainsaw blade embedded in neck of tree trimmer

By Ryan Jaslow

/ CBS News

Chainsaw gets stuck in man's neck in freak accident

An amazing X-ray image shows a chainsaw embedded in the neck of a tree trimmer who survived a near-death accident.

CBS Pittsburgh reports James Valentine, 21, of the Adler Tree Service in Gibsonia, Pa. was in a harness trimming a tree on Monday when an incident occurred where his chainsaw kicked back, embedding the blade in his neck.


Patient James Valentine CBS Pittsburgh
A co-worker sprung into action and climbed the tree to pull him down, while police and a doctor on the scene removed the motor off the chainsaw, keeping the blade embedded to prevent him from bleeding to death.

The blade was removed at Allegheny General Hospital, which released an X-ray image of Valentine to CBS News.

CBS Pittsburgh reports the blade hit a muscle, and no major arteries or blood vessels were severed.


Ryan Jaslow

Ryan Jaslow is CBSNews.com's health editor.

First published on April 1, 2014 / 4:17 PM EDT

© 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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