“Taking a call at a Level 1 trauma center is stressful and takes time away from family and a neurosurgeon’s precious free time. I was reminded recently why I still feel passionate about taking a Level 1 trauma call when I met this simply miraculous 89-year-old woman. She was involved in a motor vehicle collision and suffered a C5-6 fracture dislocation with spinal cord compression. Although many patients would have been paralyzed, she presented with only neck pain and without any significant neurologic injury.
I told her and her family that I had never seen someone her age survive this type of injury, and, in 20+ years of Level 1 trauma call, I never operated on a similar case in an 89-year-old. The patient was living independently in her home before the accident, and she didn’t hesitate to tell me that she wanted to move forward with the operation however great the risks. Surgery was her only good option to avoid the risk of further injuring her spinal cord.
The first 2 pictures are a CT scan and then an MRI of the C5-6 fracture with spinal cord compression. The next is X-ray taken during surgery. The last is X-ray at 2 months postoperative. At 2 months after surgery, the patient is living at home again. She is as strong as ever!”
– Dr. Michael
