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Make or Break

Three surgeons operate together on a motorcyclist at University Hospital Southampton’s major trauma centre after a crash leaves the patient with life-changing injuries.

The specialists at Southampton work together to treat three patients who are suffering from life- and limb-threatening injuries.

Fifty-five-year-old Chris is airlifted to hospital after a motorcycle accident, where he was thrown from his bike into a car windscreen. Critically ill, he arrives in resus as 'code red', meaning he has lost so much blood he’s in danger of a cardiac arrest. It’s trauma team leader Ursula Hartley’s job to bring together the team to save his life.

The trauma department’s next patient, 72-year-old Frank, has fallen down a few stairs at home. The mishap has resulted in a spiral fracture – a long twisting break down Frank’s tibia. After being scheduled for an urgent operation, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon Simon Tilley plans to fix the break by putting a metal nail in the broken bone. But just before the operation, Simon discovers a fracture blister at the site.

Finally, 19-year-old Hayden is rushed to Southampton after crashing his motorbike into a tractor. Trauma team leader Alasdair Moffat is in charge of co-ordinating the response of 15 specialists who assemble to save Hayden’s life.

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59 minutes

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Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Shaun Dooley
Director Brigid McFall
Producer Lottie Webb
Producer Sophie Mohamed
Producer Ruth Mulcahy
Editor Tom Werber
Production Manager Emma McCormack
Series Producer Paul Durgan
Executive Producer Daniel Barry
Production Company Dragonfly Film and Television

Broadcasts