Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Actions of NW200 doctor saved my foot ..the surgery in Belfast was ‘spectacular’
Crash biker praises Ulster medics
A DUTCH motorcycle rider who crashed at this year’s North West 200 has praised the Ulster doctors who saved his foot from being amputated.
Johan Fredriks, 33, was airlifted to hospital after the 130mph smash during an opening practice session on May 15.
He suffered horrific injuries down the left side of his body.
Johan shattered a number of bones in his foot and ankle, broke his collarbone, suffered fractures in his wrist and hand and sustained tissue damage in his neck.
He said he is l ucky to have escaped more serious injuries following the incident.
Johan added: “I was riding on the longest straight with a top speed of 193mph before I entered the University Corner braking zone.
“Another rider appeared on the left of me but he seemed to be approaching the corner too hot. He had to decelerate quickly and moved to the right.
“I tried to prevent a collision by steering to the right but there was no road left, so I went off track at around 130mph.
“I stabilised the bike a bit but I lost control due to the bumps.
“The next moment I’m lying in an ambulance with a lot of people around me. There was nothing I could do to prevent the crash, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Johan was treated at the scene by MCUI medic Allister Macsorley and it is that swift medical attention that potentially saved his foot.
The rider said: “Mr Macsorley put my dislocated ankle in the original direction thereby preventing starvation of my foot.
“This decision probably saved my foot from being amputated as I lost a lot of blood.
“I was then airlifted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.
“Sp e c i a l i st c on su l t a n t Gar y Colleary reconstructed my ankle.” Johan spent three weeks at the RVH and had three operations which saw three plates, 22 screws and two pins inserted into his foot and ankle.
He re tu r n e d h o me to ’s - He e re n h o e k in The Netherlands and surgery on his collarbone was carried out by Dr Dirk Vandevelde. Johan said: “He saw the scans and was really impressed by the work done in Belfast and called it spectacular’.” He added he is ma k i n g “s ma l l progre ss” e v er y day and when sked if he thinks he will race again Johan replied: “Thats the question, but for sure I will try it.”