Teen Likely to Get Use of Arms Back

By Laurie Winslow
7/30/1997

A 16-year-old boy looks like he probably will regain the use
of his arms following a severe sword injury that left both of his
arms sliced to the bone during a weekend fight at a south Tulsa
residence.
John Dale Brent, who was involved in the fight, is recovering
at home.
"He's out of the hospital, and he's going to do all right," said
Dorothy Brent, the boy's grandmother. "But fortunately, we praise
God it doesn't look like he (had) any major nerve damage."
Two teams of doctors spent nearly three hours operating on the
teen and piecing back together all the lacerated muscles and
tendons in his arms and getting them to align properly, said Dr.
Richard Ranne, a cardiovascular surgeon at St. Francis Hospital.
"I've never seen an inflicted knife wound as dramatic and long
and deep at multiple sites," Ranne said. "Sometimes you have a
single stab wound. This was definitely a lot of force and a very
sharp instrument. This had a bit of passion (behind) it."
Although personal accounts differ on what happened, police
reports indicate that Brent, who was with a group of male
teen-agers, allegedly attempted to attack several

other teens with
a baseball bat during a birthday party early Sunday.
Phuoc Van Pham, 19, of Port Arthur, Texas, reportedly used the
sword to defend himself and friends.
The district attorney's office has said no charges would be filed
against Pham because the law allows a person to defend himself
against an aggressor.
The teens involved in the fight were acquainted, and the
argument appeared to be over a girl, according to reports.
Brent lost about a quart of blood from the injury but did not have
to undergo a blood transfusion during the operation, Ranne said.
The deep cuts on the teen's arms, which extended from the elbows
to the base of his neck, went through the muscle all the way to the
bone. On one of the arms, the force of the sword split the bone and
shaved off about a 1/4-inch of bone, Ranne said. The teen also
suffered a deep cut that went down to the skull bone on the right
side of his face. Overall, he received more than 100 stitches, the
doctor added.
The teen sustained no serious nerve injuries and looks like he
will be able to use his arms again, Ranne said. He should start
outpatient rehabilitation in the next couple of weeks.
"With God's grace it will be completely recovered," said
Dorothy Brent. "He could have lost both of them."