Miles O'Brien , award-winning science journalist and former CNN correspondent and anchor , revealed in a blog post that his left arm was amputated recently after an accident . `` 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 . The story is not , he wrote with bittersweet humor , as `` entertaining '' as an `` out-of-control quad copter that turns on its master , '' or perhaps a shark attack or assassination attempt . What led to the loss of O'Brien 's arm was a case of TV gear . On February 12 , he was stacking cases onto a cart after a reporting trip to Japan and the Philippines , and one of them fell on his left forearm . `` It hurt , but I was n't all '911 ' about it . It was painful and swollen but I figured it would be okay without any medical intervention . Maybe a little bit of denial ? '' O'Brien wrote . His arm seemed sore and swollen the next day , but did n't appear worse . That night , though , he experienced greater pain and swelling , and the next day asked the hotel where he was to refer him to a doctor . The doctor told O'Brien he may be experiencing acute compartment syndrome . This condition involves increased pressure in a muscle compartment , according to the National Institutes of Health . 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 any more . 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 's doctor recommended this procedure , also known as a fasciotomy . After entering surgery , O'Brien woke up to learn that his blood pressure had dropped during the procedure . To save him , the doctor had made the decision to amputate just above the elbow . `` He later told me it all boiled down to a choice ... between a life and a limb , '' O'Brien wrote . Since then , O'Brien has dealt with `` phantom pain , the vicissitudes of daily life with one hand and the worries about what lies ahead , '' he wrote . But he says he is grateful to be alive and urged readers not to worry . O'Brien , who covered the U.S. space program for CNN , currently lives in Washington and focuses on science , technology and aerospace in his journalistic work , which includes being the science correspondent for PBS NewsHour . His website says he frequently pilots his own airplane to assignments . He ended his blog post poignantly : `` Life is all about playing the hand that is dealt you . Actually , I would love somebody to deal me another hand right about now -- in more ways than one . '' Artificial hand lets amputee feel objects .
TV gear case fell on journalist Miles O'Brien 's arm . He said doctor said he may have `` compartment syndrome '' Early diagnosis and treatment are important in condition . Doctor made the call to amputate during surgery .