John Brandt had spent nearly 40 years working on the railroad in Minnetonka, Minn. On November 26, 2002, the brakes on one of the trains malfunctioned, crushing 56-year-old John between a boxcar and the locomotives.

John suffered an open fracture of his neck near his shoulder and lacerated his left brachial artery. However, his most serious wound was a grade 3B open proximal left humerus (long bone of the upper arm) fracture.

The initial diagnosis of John's injuries suggested that total amputation of his left arm might be needed. Fortunately for John, the surgery performed by Richard F. Kyle, MD, saved his arm. Dr. Kyle inserted a titanium rod through John's humerus and placed a pedicle flap (a piece of tissue left attached to the injured area that provides a blood supply during grafting) over John's left latissimus dorsi muscle. This muscle helps extend, adduct and rotate the arm and move the shoulder forward and backward. John also received an artificial artery and skin grafts.

A dedicated family man, John enjoyed being a "handyman" for his children and grandchildren. Before his injury, he was an active hunter, fisherman and golfer who also enjoyed ballroom dancing and exercise. Since his injury and the surgery that saved his arm, John is still able to do handywork as long as he doesn't have to lift his arms above shoulder level. He can also hunt, dance and exercise with limitations. Golfing still causes him pain, but he is thankful that he is able to fully enjoy his life with his family.

"I have seen a number of my fellow [railroad] workers injured," says John, "and orthopaedic surgeons have done miraculous things to make their lives better. To save my arm was a miracle to me... To have both arms is very important in every aspect of life. I can live with a titanium rod and a little pain the rest of my life as long as I have my arm." John is thankful that surgery saved his arm, and knows that further research in orthopaedic trauma can help others benefit from limb-saving treatments.