Sword victim risks losing hand by going home

Samurai sword victim Matt Durham risks loses his hand after making the "absolutely crazy" decision to discharge himself from hospital only two days after extensive microsurgery.

Mr Durham's left hand was left dangling, attached by just skin and tendons, after he was attacked with a samurai sword at a Palmerston North party on Saturday night.

He was flown to Hutt Hospital where a specialist team of 14, including six doctors, were called to work on Sunday.

They spent 10 hours painstakingly repairing 18 tendons with hundreds of microstitches in surgery worth an estimated $100,000.

The plastic surgeon who led the team, Jim Armstrong, said Mr Durham's decision to leave hospital on Tuesday night was "absolutely crazy" and he risked losing his hand because of it.

"You have to take some responsibility and be prepared to look after it. It should be moved only very carefully and under supervision...so all the repairs don't come apart," he told the Dominion Post.

Infection was another risk which could result in the surgery failing. The wound would need treatment over two years, including more surgery to "free up" tendons.

The 20-year-old caught a ride home with mates and has yet to make a statement to police.

"I wanted to come back to Palmerston North. I was off antibiotics and I did talk to the doctors about it. They were going to let me go anyway so I just decided to come home," he said.

Patients have the right to discharge themselves from hospital at any time, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Mr Durham said he planned to go to Palmerston North Hospital for physiotherapy and hoped to make a full recovery.

He already had some movement in his left hand: "I can feel it but it's a really light feeling like pins and needles when I touch it.

He said he was grateful he was right-handed.

A 16-year-old youth from Bunnythorpe, near Feilding, was arrested over the attack and has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Mr Durham said he was attacked outside his Linton St flat after gatecrashers arrived at a party.

"(One) just ran at me with the sword. I put my hand up to defend myself.

"It was like something out of the movies...like something out of America."

- NZPA