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PHOTOS: This man had his head rebuilt after surgery to remove a near fatal infection

Danny Elpick is now due to take part in a charity abseil this weekend to raise money for the King’s College Hospital in London.

A MAN WHO had to have his head rebuilt due to a fungal infection in his skull is now due to take part in a sponsored abseil to raise funds for King’s College Hospital in London this weekend.

Danny Elpick had life-saving neurosurgery removing a large part of his skull at the hospital when he was diagnosed with a ‘subdural empyema’, a serious brain condition that can be fatal in many cases.

Nine months later, surgeon Robert Bentley rebuilt the mans skull in an operation that involves inserting a specially designed titanium plate to replace the section of skull removed during the initial surgery.

Speaking today, Elpick said the team at the hospital “basically gave me my life back”. The man’s surgeon has also decided to join Elpick in the charity abseil, along with friends and family who will all abseil 100 foot down the hospital’s Golden Jubilee Wing.

All images provided by King’s College Hospital.

Read: 10 years of life-changing transplants marked by Temple Street>
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32 Comments
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    Mute Marilyn Maroney
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    Jul 5th 2013, 4:50 PM

    That surgeon was an artist!

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    Mute Jean Smith
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    Jul 5th 2013, 4:53 PM

    Brilliant!! Fab story, inspirational.

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    Mute the lost lenore
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:01 PM

    Great to see that advances in surgery and technology are able to treat these illnesses.

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    Mute Wesley Eccles
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:22 PM

    Unbelievable. The guy must be over the moon.

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    Mute Jean Allen McGrath
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:39 PM

    What a fantastic outcome and fair play to his Surgeon taking part in the abseil to raise funds :)

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:19 PM

    My grandfather was a funeral director back in 1963 and one night late coming back from cork airport in the herse with a body he came around a corner and went under a truck which had broken down . They had to put a plate in his head due to a shattered skull and he survived . Hats off to medical guys even then . The guy in the back didn’t feel a thing and was scooped up and into the back of a 1/2 lorry y my dad and uncle . The show had to go on . All the best to the guy above as he is really lucky to survive this .

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    Mute Rawoc
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:14 PM

    Should the headline not be – near fatal? Since the poor chap survived??

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    Mute Justin Devaney
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:32 PM

    Fatal,means the ability to cause death.

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    Mute Marlon Major
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    Jul 5th 2013, 4:51 PM

    I wish we had the medical science to diagnose and treat such illnesses.

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    Mute Conchubhair MacLochlainn
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:02 PM

    We do. The man in the story is still alive. He’s doing a charity abseil this weekend?

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    Mute JayK
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:30 PM

    Apparently his surgeon is going with him! I read all about it in an article recently.

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    Mute Keith Dickinson
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    Jul 5th 2013, 6:35 PM

    Why did you get so many red thumbs for that comment? Sounded perfectly noble to me.

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    Mute Mick
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:00 PM

    Look’s like Jamie Carragher.

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    Mute Paul Radburn
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:21 PM

    Then redo the surgery!

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    Mute Deco Bahn
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    Jul 5th 2013, 7:37 PM

    the stupit bellends on this and youtube if there not argueing over religion there makin stupit jokes about this poor fellas bad luck,,grow up ya cocks

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:19 PM

    My grandfather was a funeral director back in 1963 and one night late coming back from cork airport in the herse with a body he came around a corner and went under a truck which had broken down . They had to put a plate in his head due to a shattered skull and he survived . Hats off to medical guys even then . The guy in the back didn’t feel a thing and was scooped up and into the back of a 1/2 lorry y my dad and uncle . The show had to go on . All the best to the guy above as he is really lucky to survive this .

    18
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    Mute R
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:41 PM

    Is the lead picture before he had the plate inserted? I’d like to see it with the plate from the front then if so. Good on him and the surgeon’s abilities.

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    Mute Sergé
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:05 PM

    It’s like a flat football.

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    Mute Peter Murphy
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:42 PM

    The surgeon used his head when performing this miracle

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    Mute thomas patrick
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    Jul 5th 2013, 6:42 PM

    Em… where is his brain in the first photo?

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    Mute Ronan Kennedy
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    Jul 5th 2013, 7:00 PM

    Fair play to that guy. He has a good head on his shoulders

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    Mute GoGo99
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    Jul 5th 2013, 4:46 PM

    Its like an iphone/ipad photo booth snap!

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    Mute Anthony Byrne
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    Jul 5th 2013, 5:44 PM

    ?

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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Jul 6th 2013, 9:07 AM

    Thanks for letting us stop and gawk.

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    Mute Mary Murray
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    Jul 5th 2013, 8:33 PM

    Holy tin-head.

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    Mute Jean Allen McGrath
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    Jul 6th 2013, 1:13 AM

    So insulting – count your lucky stars its not you!

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    Mute Gabrielle Humphreys
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    Jul 6th 2013, 11:13 PM

    God blessed those who operated on this man.

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    Mute Kay Tighe
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    Jul 5th 2013, 8:28 PM

    How many photos are there ? I’m not sure if I am seeing them

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    Mute Ross Keogh
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    Jul 6th 2013, 1:19 AM

    fungal infection ….. we better all stock up on the ol daktarin and canesten !

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