82-year-old man breaks his cervical spine after falling off his motorbike into the field

While riding his motorbike from the field back home, Mr. NVT (82 years old, Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City) fell into the field, lost consciousness, had bleeding on his forehead and severe neck pain.

Mr. T. was taken to the hospital by his family for emergency treatment. Immediately, doctors performed first aid on his injuries and ordered a CT scan. The results showed that Mr. T. had fractured cervical vertebrae C1 and C2, with no evidence of damage to the skull.

On March 26, Master - Doctor Tran Vu Hoang Duong, Head of the Department of Cranio-Spine Surgery 2, Xuyen A General Hospital, said that the patient had a fracture of the cervical vertebrae in the vertebral body and C2 vertebrae with many separate fragments, and a fracture of the C1 spinous process, causing the patient to have a lot of pain in the neck area, but fortunately there were no neurological complications.

"This is a complex fracture area that makes it difficult for the patient to move and is at risk of nerve damage if not treated promptly. Therefore, we have prescribed surgery combined with posterior cervical spine screw and plate fixation to help the patient move and avoid paralysis later. This surgery requires high precision from the surgeon to avoid injuries that cause spinal cord compression," Dr. Duong shared.

Doctors have carefully consulted with the patient's family about the cervical spine fixation surgery plan. This method will help avoid nerve damage as well as help the patient recover mobility, allowing them to return to normal life and work soon.

Doctor examines patient

PHOTO: BSCC

Two hours after surgery, the patient regained consciousness and no longer felt neck pain. And on the second day, the patient was able to sit up, walk, and do normal activities.

According to Dr. Duong, if a cervical spine fracture is not detected and immobilized properly, the patient's unconscious movements such as turning the head, struggling due to pain, etc. can also make the condition worse, even causing spinal cord edema and secondary spinal cord compression, leading to the risk of disability due to weakness in all four limbs.

"If a patient is suspected of having a cervical spine injury, the spine needs to be immobilized and properly moved to the nearest medical facility with a neurosurgery or spine specialist for the earliest surgery. Absolutely do not arbitrarily adjust or correct the patient's neck," the doctor advised.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nga-xe-may-xuong-ruong-cu-ong-82-tuoi-bi-gay-cot-song-co-185250326113020619.htm