WHEN Paul Laskey’s son was robbed at knife point he tried to intervene – but he became the victim of an acid attack which “melted” his cornea leaving him unable to see.
Now, the 43-year-old’s sight may be saved thanks to a donated placenta.
PAPaul Laskey became the victim of an acid attack after trying to protect his son[/caption] PAIt’s believed Paul was squirted in the face with battery acid, which left a severe chemical burn in his left eye[/caption]Paul from Newcastle was squirted in the face with a corrosive substance – believed to be battery acid – during the acid attack and suffered a severe chemical burn to his left eye.
The plumber and heating engineer had immediate and significant sight loss after the attack in February 2023, and was rushed to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary.
The acid “melted” the inner and outer layers of his cornea.
His eye could not repair or regenerate the surface of the cornea and the nerves in the eye were failing to function properly.
Over the course of eight months, Paul had two emergency corneal transplants and three amnion grafts.
An amnion graft is created by taking tissue from the inner lining of a donated placenta.
He was told at the time that the treatments were about “saving his eye and not his sight” with hopes that restorative treatment could help in the future.
Paul, who has three children, is now waiting for a stem cell transplant with hopes that some of his sight can be restored.
He said: “I haven’t got any sight in my left eye at the moment. They’re now talking about having a stem cell transplant and we hope it’s going to give us some sort of sight back.
“The grafts have been used to stabilise my eye.
“I had a really bad chemical burn which melted my cornea.”
He added: “I was told from day one that it wasn’t about saving the sight it was about saving the eye, and then we can work on that.”
On the attack he said: “On February 5, 2023, (my son) was mugged and then he phoned me and so I went to see what was happening. I approached the guy and when he did he pulled a bottle of corrosive substance out of his pocket and squirted me in the face with it.
“(My son) is getting there. He says he has a lot of guilt but it’s not his fault.”
Attacker jailed for a decade
Robbie Scott, from Gateshead, was jailed for a decade after the attack.
Scott, who was 21 when he was sentenced last May, stole a gold chain from Paul’s son while armed with a zombie knife.
After the theft, Paul challenged Scott and asked for the chain to be returned.
At this point, Scott squirted him in the face with a corrosive substance from a drinks bottle, according to Northumbria Police.
Paul said he has since returned to work but “struggles” sometimes and occasionally burns himself because he does not have a full field of vision.
NHS Blood and Transplant’s (NHSBT) Cord Blood Bank collects donated placentas at two hospitals – University College London and Luton and Dunstable Hospitals.
PAAn amnion graft is created by taking tissue from the inner lining of a donated placenta[/caption] PAPaul occasionally burns himself because he doesn’t have a full field of vision[/caption]Scientists at NHSBT’s Tissue and Eye Services then use these to create a specialist tissue graft, which can be used to treat eye injuries.
They can stabilise the eye and avoid any further melting, before any other sight-saving treatments are performed.
Professor Francisco Figueiredo, consultant ophthalmologist at Newcastle Eye Centre, who treated Paul for his injuries, said: “Chemical eye burns are a true emergency – they can cause significant sight loss that will substantially impact the quality of the patient’s life and rapid treatment is crucial.
“In Paul’s case, which is really quite severe, we began by removing any residues of the chemical agent that may have still been in contact with the eye, before progressing to intensive, topical, systemic and surgical treatment, using amniotic membrane transplantation.
“Amnion grafts have been essential in helping the management of Paul’s severe eye burn.
“They are thin, lightweight, elastic and almost transparent, making them ideal for use on the surface of the eye and help to heal eye surface tissue damage while also providing anti-inflammatory benefits. These grafts have helped to save the vision Paul still has – and allowed us to move towards further treatment to restore his lost sight.
“Amnion is widely used for a variety of ocular surface problems and it is incredible to think that this is possible due to the generosity of a mother, donating the organ that she has grown to help grow her child. It really is remarkable.”
It’s incredible to know that a new life can help so many people in such a profound way, using something that’s usually thrown away
Paul LaskeyNHSBT said that each donated placenta can be used to make around 50 to 100 amnion grafts, which can also be used to treat burns and wounds among other uses.
Paul added: “I’m so thankful to the mother who chose to donate her placenta to help people like me who are at risk of losing their sight completely. It’s incredible to know that a new life can help so many people in such a profound way, using something that’s usually thrown away.”
Claire Price, national retrieval manager at NHS Blood and Transplant’s Tissue and Eye Services, explained: “Amnion grafts are very special things indeed – they play a crucial role in the treatment to save the vision of those who have suffered accidents or injuries, as well as in some corneal transplants, which are life-changing for many.
“We make amnion grafts from the amniotic membrane – the inner layer of the placenta, which some mothers choose to very kindly donate after birth.
“We’re pleased to hear that NHSBT amnion grafts have played such a crucial part in Paul’s journey so far and we thank all of the mothers who donate their placentas to make treatments like this possible.
“While we can currently collect all the placentas we need, Paul’s story is a reminder of just how important donation of all types is, including blood, plasma, organ and stem cells.”
What to do in the event of an acid attack
GET medical advice as soon as possible if you think you have an acid or chemical burn, says the NHS. You’ll need to be treated as soon as possible.
Acid or chemical burns can happen when a harmful acid or chemical gets on your skin, or in your eyes.
Examples of harmful acids and chemicals include:
bleach other household cleaning products, such as toilet, oven, and drain cleaners battery acid (a liquid inside some types of batteries) washing detergents ammonia chemicals used in industries such as farming, manufacturing, construction and laboratoriesAn acid or chemical burn needs immediate first aid. You should:
Call 999 for medical help. Wear gloves to protect yourself from the chemical when helping yourself or someone else, if possible. Carefully remove any clothing that has the chemical on it, if possible. Carefully brush dry chemicals off the skin. Put the affected area under cool or lukewarm running water or pour lots of water over it for about one hour.You should also avoid putting anything on the burn, such as skin creams or other chemicals.
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