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Massena teen who had arm severed in accident will need several surgeries, local fundraising efforts underway

Posted 4/28/14

By ANDY GARDNER MASSENA -- The Massena teen whose arm was severed in a workplace accident on Thursday has had successful surgery, but is still looking at a difficult road to recovery. The family of …

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Massena teen who had arm severed in accident will need several surgeries, local fundraising efforts underway

Posted

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Massena teen whose arm was severed in a workplace accident on Thursday has had successful surgery, but is still looking at a difficult road to recovery.

The family of Brett Bouchard, 17, says that he had the appendage reattached after a 12.5-hour surgery.

Bouchard lost his right arm at the elbow Thursday night while cleaning a pasta machine at Violi's Restaurant, where he is employed.

"The team managed to reattach Brett’s arm and get circulation back by using veins and arteries from his right leg," Bouchard's family writes on a fundraiser site they have set up to help with travel and medical expenses. More about fundraising efforts can be read at the end of this article.

His nerves and tendons will be reconnected in the future, the Bouchard family says. Surgeons have told them there is a 30 percent chance he will lose circulation and the limb will need to be re-amputated. He is being kept in a medically induced coma so the veins can heal. Any movement could disrupt blood flow, the Bouchard family says.

"Per the surgeons at this time the circulation to his arm is literally minute by minute," the family writes.

He is on a blood thinner to prevent clotting, according to the Bouchards, and he has needed multiple transfusions.

If the reattachment is successful, Brett is looking at multiple reconstructive surgeries to reattach nerves, tendons and skin grafting and several years of therapy, according to the Bouchard family.

Bouchard's stepfather Mark Martin said he hopes the community will pray for his stepson.

"It's something nobody wants to go through," Martin said by telephone.

There are two fundraising efforts underway to offset Brett Bouchard's medical bills and travel expenses for his family.

One is set up by the family and can be found here.

Another has been set up by Mia Violi, one of Bouchard's co-workers. Click here to see the page.

More information on the accident can be found here.

The two sites had raised a combined total of over $5,000 as of mid-afternoon on Monday.

The Elks Lodge on Bowers Street in Massena is holding a spaghetti dinner on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., with all proceeds aiding the Bouchard family with medical and travel expenses. It is $10 per plate. There will also be 50/50 raffles and a Chinese auction, to which local businesses have donated items to be auctioned.

Martin said he is grateful for all of the local efforts.

"Thank you very much. Every little bit helps and I hope to see you all here Friday," he said.