Dr. Glatt's Skills Save Lives
Dr. Glatt's Skills Save Lives
An accidental shooting in August of 2003 found Hoven native, Dr. Dennis Glatt, head trauma surgeon at Sioux Valley Hospital, in the middle of a furious frenzy to save the life of a little Minnesota girl. A year and a half later, a grateful family can't find enough ways to say thank you.
Haley Torkelson, then age 7, was playing with her brother outside her grandmother's farm home. Haley watched as two older cousins prepared .22 caliber rifles for target practice. A mistake in loading his gun caused one of the young men a moment's lapse of attention. While he concentrated on inserting the plunger, the gun barrel lifted up and accidentally discharged. The bullet hit Haley, standing 10 feet away, in the chest. She was transferred by air ambulance to Sioux Falls. Her frantic parents, Steve and Roxanne Torkelson joined the medical team led by Dr. Glatt in the trauma center.
An October 31, 2004 article in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader by Denise Tucker said, "Haley told her parents that she had been shot, rode the helicopter, received a teddy bear from a doctor and didn't cry when they put in her IV."
Glatt knew her calmness could be reason for concern. Severely injured children's vital signs can look good and then quickly decline.
"Crying is a good sign to a trauma surgeon," he said. "It means the blood pressure is good; the airway is open." Glatt repaired the damage in a three-hour surgery, while Haley's frightened parents alternated between hope and despair.
"I'm glad God brought that little girl to us in time," said Glatt. The bullet entered her chest just below the left nipple, and zigzagged through her diaphragm, liver and right lung, coming to rest just under her right shoulder blade. It missed her heart, aorta and esophagus by scant centimeters.
"Very few survive that type of injury," noted Dr. Glatt.
Haley recovered with no permanent damage. She is one of about a half dozen children he's treated for gunshot wounds, and the only one in South Dakota. Today she has only an eight inch scar above her belly button to remind her how close she came to dying. She and her parents credit Glatt with saving her life.
Haley wrote, "I think Dr. Glatt is cool, sweet and nice. I am very happy he saved my life. I just celebrated my 9th birthday on 11-23-04 and it's all because of him...On 9-28-04 I got to see Dr. Glatt and his wife,Emily, for a reunion. It was the best day of my life! He made me feel very special that day. I really like the gifts Dr. Glatt gave me. I take my teddy bear everywhere I go. My angel necklace is very special to me, it's sentimental. Because of the accident, I want to become a nurse so I can help people like Dr. Glatt helped me. It makes me very happy when I see Dr. Glatt. I can't wait to see him again. Thanks again Dr. Glatt for saving my life, you're my angel and hero!"
How does an average kid from small town South Dakota develop lifesaving skills? Glatt considers himself fortunate to have had excellent mentors at every stage of his life. Working on Billy Baus' farm, he learned a strong work ethic. His USD physiology teacher, Dr. Kauker encouraged Glatt to consider medicine as a career.
Glatt, who was an average student at the time, said, "I wouldn't have aimed that high without Dr. Kauker's encouragement."
He started studying in earnest and gained entrance to medical school. As a USD medical student, Glatt helped Dr. Don Graham with surgeries, igniting a passion for the operating room.
He did his surgical residency at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas, learning under some of the same surgeons who worked on President John Kennedy at Parkland Memorial Hospital. At Parkland, he often saw stabbing and gunshot wounds, the result of inner city crime.
He brought with him to Sioux Falls the latest advances in laparoscopic surgery. Today his partner is his old mentor, Dr. Graham, and Glatt couldn't be more excited about his career choice.
"I work with the surgeon who I respect the most in the world," he said enthusiastically. Glatt feels that the combination of Graham's experience and his training in cutting edge procedures allows Sioux Falls to offer excellent general surgery services. Glatt operates primarily at Sioux Valley but also does some surgeries at Avera McKennan.
He and his wife, Emily, came to Sioux Falls just a year before Haley's accident. Dennis also lauds Emily for supporting him so completely through every stage of school and residency.
Not every situation is dramatic as Haley's, but Glatt enjoys doing every procedure. He finds it very rewarding to be able to fix the problem and have his patients get better quickly.
"I'm anxious to get to work and glad to stay late," he said.
The Torkelsons are glad he was there for them. Their website, www.steverox.com, tells the full story of their experience.
Roxanne said, "God must know how much I need her because three hours after she went through those doors, we were met by Dr. Glatt and he told us surgery went well and Haley was going to be fine. A MIRACLE! He did it; he performed a miracle, and saved my little girl. God spared us that pain and didn't take our daughter that day. I thank God EVERYDAY for saving my baby, letting her stay with her family that loves her so much. I am also very grateful God gave Dr. Glatt the gift he possesses so he could save my little girl."
For Dr. Dennis Glatt, it was just part of a job he loves.