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Iowa Men Survive Harrowing, Extreme Cold-Weather Emergencies

Photo: University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

(Iowa City, IA) -- Two Iowa men are sharing their harrowing stories, about surviving extreme cold conditions in Iowa. Both suffered from hypothermia, both lost their hands, but both are thankful that doctors were able to save their legs. Here are their amazing stories:

TJ Ricchio of Oelwein ended his late-night work shift in January of 2019 and stopped to get groceries. It was -20 degrees with a -60 wind chill. TJ got home, parked, and collapsed while walking toward his front steps. He lay face-down on the steps for nearly three hours before anyone noticed.

“One of my friends saw my legs outside the porch, so he stopped and came up and shook me,” TJ says. “I turned my head, and he said it sounded like glass breaking because I was so frozen.”

First responders revived TJ and took him to an Oelwein hospital. Heated blankets raised his body temperature. TJ was then transferred to UI Hospitals and Clinics. He suffered frostbite on his ears, nose, hands, and lower legs. TJ says he remembers waking up in Iowa City, “lying in bed and watching my hands slowly die—I couldn’t stop them from turning black.” More of his survival story coming up...

Fast forward a year and one month, Steve Lose of Menlo was leaving work in Ames when he drove into a nasty winter storm. His vehicle slid off a road and rolled several times landing upside-down. He broke three ribs, his collarbone, and two vertebrae at the top of his neck. The temperature was minus 12, wind chill was -36.

“I just tried to keep myself warm,” Steve says. “I put my hands in my coat… but I was there so long, I just couldn’t keep them warm.”

Steve's says his cell phone was thrown from the vehicle, so he could not call for help, and as the storm continued, his car could not be seen from the road.

“The only pain I was feeling that whole time was just my hands and feet getting so cold,” he recalls. “There was some delusion in that time, and I actually at one point thought coyotes were chewing on my hands and feet because the pain was so bad.” Fifteen hours later he snowplow driver Steve's tire tracks, and found the overturned vehicle called for helpHear Steve Lose describe his harrowing

Listen as Steve Lose describes how he felt after realizing his situation was extremely serious

And Steve describes the feelings of having his hands frozen

Both Ricchio and Lose underwent multiple surgeries and procedures at UI Hospitals and Clinics.

“The severity of their injuries was remarkable, and the fact that TJ is alive is even more remarkable,” says Andrei Odobescu, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor and microsurgeon who spearheaded the efforts at limb salvage for both men.

Doctors used reconstructive microsurgery to fix blood vessels and nerves, some of which were as thin as a strand of hair. Doctors also were able to transplant tissue from one part of the body to another. In TJ's case, he required reconstruction of his ears and nose.

TJ Ricchio underwent 16-procedures over 26-months. Steve Lose had 15-procedures in 14-months. Their hands and parts of their feet were amputated, but their legs were saved.

“With cases like [these], we typically would have looked at below-the-knee amputations, but we were really motivated to try to keep every centimeter … because we knew [they] would have had difficulty putting on prosthetics without their hands,” says Dr. Mark Fisher, who was among the team of surgeons coordinating the efforts of limb preservation.

“Though Steve and TJ lost their hands near the wrist, we were able to utilize a specialized microsurgical technique called Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interfaces (RPNI) in which we wrap the severed nerve endings in small segments of free muscle,” says Odobescu. “This organizes and amplifies the nerve signals, prevents post amputation nerve pain, and improves their ability to control fine finger movements in newly-developed smart prosthetics.” 

TJ was in the hospital for four months, followed by rehabilitation and therapy.

“It was like boot-camp,” TJ recalls of his physical therapy, “but I just kept a positive attitude throughout the whole process.” 

“I used to play guitar… now I teach lessons to young musicians for free. I’ve even figured out how to keep playing a couple songs.”   TJ says he's made a full recovery and says he's living a relatively normal life. He was also put in touch with Steve Lose to offer encourage throughout his recovery process.

TJ has volunteered to try prototypes of bionic hands, some of which mimic finger sensation and allow very exact, fine motor movements. Steve has been fitted for high tech, prosthetic hands as well.

This story was compiled and shared by Molly Rossiter, Senior Writer/Editor University of Iowa Health Care


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