Wasiu Abatan’s ordinary day at the Lagos-Ogun border tollgate took a horrific turn on 14 February after a routine task became a desperate fight for survival. The 33-year-old was collecting levies from tricycle operators when a Hilux lost control and rammed into him.
In the blink of an eye, the vehicle’s front and rear tyres had crushed his stomach, leaving him struggling to breathe.
“I remember the moment my body hit the ground. Out of reflex, I jumped up so that another vehicle wouldn’t crush me. It was then I felt an unbearable pain, but worse than that pain was the fear that I might not make it,” Mr. Abatan told DevReporting.
Meanwhile, the Hilux driver took immediate responsibility for the accident and swiftly rushed Mr. Abatan to the hospital, potentially saving his life. After being shuttled between two nearby medical facilities, it became painfully clear that his severe injuries were beyond their capacity.
With each passing second, his condition deteriorated as he battled internal bleeding.
Welcome to Orile-Agege hospital
Eventually, Mr. Abatan was rushed to the Orile-Agege General Hospital, where a medical team sprang into action. Upon assessment, the severity of his condition became clearer. He had suffered a grade three traumatic liver injury from the accident.
He was diagnosed with a 10 cm longitudinal and 5cm deep laceration on the right lobe of his liver, along with a contusion of the hepatic parenchyma.
The injury was classified under the American Association for Surgery of Trauma (AAST) as a severe case, typically associated with high mortality rates, according to a statement by the State Ministry of Health.
Recounting the intense medical intervention that saved Mr. Abatan’s life, the Medical Director of Orile-Agege General Hospital, Sola Pitan revealed that the hospital’s emergency response system was immediately activated upon learning about his condition, ensuring that all critical units, including emergency, surgery, radiology, anesthesia, and perioperative nursing, were on standby.
“Mr. Abatan was in severe painful distress, with altered sensorium and abdominal guarding, indicating internal bleeding,” Dr. Pitan explained. “Immediate laboratory and radiological investigations confirmed peritoneal fluid collection, necessitating an emergency exploratory laparotomy.”
He added that within 45 minutes of arrival, Mr Abatan was wheeled into the operating theatre for an emergency exploratory laparotomy.
Heroic attention
The surgeon who performed the surgery, Daniel Kehinde described the complexity of the procedure, emphasising that liver injuries of such magnitude are difficult to repair due to the organ’s delicate structure.
He explained that his team evacuated over 300ml of accumulated blood, controlled hemorrhaging, and used innovative techniques to stabilise the damaged liver tissue.
“We mobilised the omentum from the transverse colon, carefully wrapping it around the liver injury site to aid healing. This technique, combined with meticulous suturing of the liver capsule, prevented further bleeding and allowed the liver to regenerate,” Dr. Kehinde explained.
After the surgery, Mr Abatan was closely monitored in the High Dependency Unit (HDU) for seven days, receiving post-operative care including blood transfusions, intravenous infusions, and strict fluid management.
“After another five days in the general ward, he was discharged 12 days post-operation, marking a successful recovery,” he said.
Life-saving feat
Reacting to the development, Lagos State’s Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, formally received and commended the hospital’s medical team in recognition of their outstanding achievement.
During the commendation event at the State Secretariat in Alausa, on 25 March, Mr. Abatan and his mother, expressed their profound gratitude to the hospital’s medical team.
“I could barely speak because the pain was overwhelming. I thought I was going to die when some hospitals turned me away, but the doctors and nurses here fought for my life,” he said, expressing gratitude to the team of medical professionals who assisted him to stay alive. “Today, I am standing here. They cared for me like a baby throughout my treatment, and I will forever be grateful.”
His mother, simply identified Mrs. Abatan, a trader, was overwhelmed with emotion and held back tears as she expressed gratitude to the Lagos State Government for prioritising public healthcare development.
She acknowledged the significant role the government played in ensuring the hospital was well-equipped to handle such an emergency.
‘Lagos committed to quality healthcare’ – Commissioner
Reflecting on the resilience of Lagos healthcare system, Prof. Abayomi said the ability of local hospitals to execute such complex surgical procedures successfully despite the brain drain hurdles, is a testament to the state’s commitment to quality healthcare.
The commissioner added that while healthcare challenges are often publicised, the efforts of dedicated professionals must also be celebrated. He praised the medical team for their ingenuity in performing an intricate liver repair using advanced surgical techniques, including the innovative use of surgicel packing and omental mobilisation to stabilise the liver.
In her remark, Dr. Ogunyemi commended the emergency preparedness and strong leadership at Orile-Agege General Hospital.
“This achievement reinforces the need for continued investment in healthcare infrastructure and capacity development. Emergency preparedness should be a top priority for all medical institutions because we never know when the next life-threatening case will arrive,” she remarked.
At the commendation ceremony, Prof. Abayomi alongside Dr. Ogunyemi and the patient, Mr. Abatan presented a commendation letter signed by the commissioner to the dedicated team of medical professionals who played a vital role in the surgical intervention.
Leading the team was the Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Pitan alongside the Director of Clinical Services and Training, Dr Temitope Bakare, a distinguished Consultant Special Grade I in Family Dentistry.
Others include Deputy Directors of Clinical Services and Training including – Dr. Urabia Izuka, Dr. James Asa, and Dr. Adesegun Odukomaiya. In the surgical team, Dr. Daniel Kehinde, a Consultant General Surgeon, and Dr. Samuel Folayan, a Principal Medical Officer in General Surgery, were acknowledged for their expertise and precision.
Their efforts were complemented by the anaesthesia team, which included Dr. Adeyinka Shittu, a Consultant Special Grade I Anaesthetist, Dr. Oluyemisi Gbadamosi, and Dr. Taiwo Ogunmokun, both Principal Medical Officers in Anaesthesia.
The commendation also extended to the radiology team, administrative staff, medical laboratory team, pharmaceutical team, nursing team, perioperative and nursing team, among others.
Mr. Abatan, the first of his mother’s seven children, said he has returned to work at the tollgate, to cater for his family needs.
“I went back to work three days after I was discharged from the hospital. If I don’t work, I won’t eat. I’ve just been very careful because I know I’m not completely strong yet,” he told DevReporting.
