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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For C2 And C3 Injury

Hi. The father of my friend has had a very bad accident and he can't breathe and is on the ventilator in a hospital. He is in the construction business and was at the site when a wooden shutter fell on him, damaging his spine, which the doctors call c2 and c3. They say his spine came forward and hit his windpipe and went back. He is unable to breathe. The doctors in attendence say they need to operate on him, but can't because he is on the ventilator. Please guide me, it is very urgent, and my friend's father has been in the ICU for the last 12 days. The patient is 53 years old, and has always had a high blood pressure. He has never had any injury ever before. He is a well-built, lean man, with a height of 6'2.
Mon, 1 Sep 2014
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Radiologist,  's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.

Damage to C 2 and C 3 is critical spine injury and I think the doctors attending on him should take a very careful decision. Since he is still on ventilator, it is difficult to operate unless the vital parameters are stable. It may take time to make him vital and then the risk involved in such a surgery can be minimized. They may also try and do a tracheostomy but then it is not clear the extent of damage to his windpipe and vertebra.
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Suggest Treatment For C2 And C3 Injury

Hi, Thanks for writing in. Damage to C 2 and C 3 is critical spine injury and I think the doctors attending on him should take a very careful decision. Since he is still on ventilator, it is difficult to operate unless the vital parameters are stable. It may take time to make him vital and then the risk involved in such a surgery can be minimized. They may also try and do a tracheostomy but then it is not clear the extent of damage to his windpipe and vertebra.