A few years ago , PBS science correspondent Miles O'Brien reported about patients who were receiving modern artificial body parts to help them recover from the loss of the limb . Now , facing his own recovery after losing an arm while on a reporting trip to Asia , O'Brien is reviewing that story , reminding himself of which experts he should consult . He talked with CNN affiliate WUSA on Thursday in his first interview after a surgeon removed his left arm just above the elbow . He said he was going to see some doctors over the next few days . And he tried to look on the bright side of needing technological help with his life . `` If nothing else , this is a great opportunity for me to buy some really cool new gadgets , right ? '' he told the station . `` I look forward to see what technology can do for me . '' It seemed minor at the time . O'Brien was stacking cases onto a cart on February 12 after a reporting trip to Japan and the Philippines , and one of the cases fell on his left forearm . He thought it was a minor injury and did n't experience a lot of pain until the next night . He went to a doctor the next morning and was told he was experiencing acute compartment syndrome , which involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment . During surgery , O'Brien 's blood pressure fell to the point where his life was in danger . The doctor made the choice to take much of the arm . O'Brien , 54 , said his personal doctor studied the charts and agreed that amputation was the best option . `` He said it probably would have been the same consequence , wherever I would have been , '' he said . O'Brien said he is dealing with phantom pain , as if his forearm and hand were still there . And he admitted that he 's had his mental ups and downs . O'Brien , an award-winning science journalist and former CNN correspondent and anchor , said work is a welcome tonic . Thursday , he was moderating a panel on climate change at the National Academy of Sciences in the Washington area . O'Brien revealed his story in a blog post entitled `` Just a Flesh Wound '' on Wednesday . `` I wish I had a better story to tell you about why I am typing this with one hand ( and some help from Dragon Dictate ) , '' he wrote . He said that fans , friends and co-workers should n't worry about him . Pressure builds up . The National Institutes of Health says muscles in the arms and legs are separated from each other by thick layers of tissue called fascia , and each fascia has space in it , called a compartment , with muscle tissue , nerves and blood vessels . When there is swelling in a compartment , pressure in that area will increase and press on the muscles , blood vessels and nerves . `` If this pressure is high enough , blood flow to the compartment will be blocked , '' according to the NIH 's MedlinePlus resource . `` This can lead to permanent injury to the muscle and nerves . If the pressure lasts long enough , the muscles may die and the arm or leg will not work anymore . It may need to be amputated . '' Symptoms of severe cases of compartment syndrome include skin paleness , numbness , tingling , decreased sensation , weakness and severe worsening pain . Early diagnosis and treatment are key for a good recovery . Amputee pilot : O'Brien could return to flying 'in no time ' Patients need immediate surgery , which involves making long cuts through the muscle tissue to relieve pressure . O'Brien , who covered the U.S. space program and was an anchor for CNN , now lives in Washington . Artificial hand lets amputee feel objects .
Miles O'Brien once reported on the same subject he now needs for recovery . He jokes that he gets to buy some cool new gadgets . TV gear case fell on O'Brien 's left forearm . He says doctor said he may have `` compartment syndrome ''