Surgery helps Emirati avoid paralysis after crash

Ras Al Khaimah - He had serious injuries in his head and backbone.

A timely surgery at the Saqr hospital in Ras Al Khaimah helped a 32-year-old Emirati man avoid a certain paralysis.
The victim was admitted to the emergency section of the Saqr hospital with serious injuries in his head and backbone, according to a senior official.
Mohammed Rashid bin Arsheed, director of the Saqr hospital, said Saleem S. was suffering from multiple cervical disk. "He was having severe pain in his neck, and an acute spine scoliosis."
The X-Ray imaging showed that there was a dislocation between the sixth and seventh vertebras, with an inverse and abnormal position of the joint between the two vertebras, he explained. "There was also a disk between the fifth and sixth vertebras."
Bin Arsheed said a medical team was formed to perform an urgent surgery and prevent any health complications on the spinal cord of the patient.
"The serious spinal injuries, particularly the dislocation of sixth and seventh vertebras could lead to paralysis and neurological disorders."
The two hurt vertebras were properly relocated, while the vents of the nerve roots were expanded, he stated.
"The cervical spine was stabilised with a metal plate," he said, indicating that the patient was moved to the observation room. "He is in good health."
Salim S., the patient, said he was travelling in a car of his friend when the collision took place on the Old Ras al-Khaimah Corniche.
"My friend pulled over suddenly in the middle of the road to avoid running over a jaywalker when another vehicle rammed into him from behind."
The six passengers in the car were thrown over him due to the impact of the collision, he added.
"I had a cervical fracture and lost conscious," he said. "I would have suffered paralysis if I had not had an urgent surgery at the Saqr hospital."

• UAE
• Ras Al Khaimah