Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

This lucky pensioner has cheated death after he crashed his motorcycle into a bamboo pole which impaled his neck and severed one of his jugular veins.

Mr Li revealed he thought he would die after the lengthy section of bamboo jutting out of a roadside bush pierced the left side of his neck and caused blood to squirt out of his wound.

The crash happened on the streets of Guangning County in South China’s Guangdong Province on 30th August.

Images show paramedics holding the bamboo pole in place while treating Mr Li, who was first taken to the county People’s Hospital before being transferred to the larger First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University.

Ear, nose and throat specialist Zhang Tao recalled: “His jugular vein was ruptured by the pole. It pressed against his carotid artery, which didn’t break.

“Had his carotid artery ruptured too, he wouldn’t have made it to the hospital – he’d have lasted no more than three minutes.”

Doctor Zhang Tao said the pensioner did not lose a lot of blood, but noted that the life-giving liquid “shot out of his wound rapidly”.

Mr Li said: “I thought I would die.”

Emergency services personnel who cut Mr Li free from the bamboo pole left roughly 30 centimetres (1 foot) in his neck.

Despite Mr Li having lost some two thirds of his jugular vein to the bamboo pole, surgeon Zhang Hong and his team were able to carefully sew what remained back together, restoring function.

Mr Li is now in stable condition and recovering from the accident.

He said: “I’m never riding a bike again.”

It is unclear whether the pensioner was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the accident.

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