Thomas Snell is a proud grandparent who enjoys hunting, fishing and working in his woodshop. In the past, he served his town of Elliot, Miss., as a volunteer firefighter and managed the local sawmill. It was at the sawmill that his left arm was severed, almost amputating it completely.

Fortunately for Thomas, local doctors were able to surgically reattach his arm. Modern resuscitation techniques, immediate operating room access, the use of locking plates and emergency wound care with suction devices were able to save his arm. The suction device eliminated the need for subsequent surgeries, prevented the need for tissue transplantation and allowed the wound to heal. The plates enabled more aggressive range of motion exercises. Thomas is grateful to his surgeon for reattaching his arm after his accident. "My surgery is helping me get the use of my hand back day by day," he says.

Thomas's biggest challenge today is not being able to work. Even though he was able to keep his arm, Thomas needs help with everyday activities like eating and bathing because the damage to nerves and bone limits use of his left hand.

Thomas fully understands the need for further trauma research, particularly in the areas of damaged nerves and bones. "The kind of nerve damage I have can only be treated now with waiting and with physical therapy to see if the nerves heal," he says. "Current technology allows doctors to put everything back into the right place, but nature still has to heal the defects."

Further research is needed to find new treatment options to restore damaged nerves and identify cost-effective ways to implement treatment advances everywhere, including rural hospitals that often do not have the resources to offer new treatment alternatives.