Chinese doctors save patient with rare cervical spine injury

Doctors at Shanghai Changzheng Hospital successfully treated a patient who suffered a severe cervical spine injury, described medically as head-neck dissociation, in what hospital staff called a life-saving breakthrough.

With nearly 30 years of clinical experience, Chen Huajiang, director of the hospital's cervical spine surgery department, said this was the first time in his career he had seen such a devastating injury.

The patient was critically injured when a robotic arm caused a massive cervical fracture, resulting in quadriplegia and cardiac arrest. Doctors performed CPR to restore vital signs. Imaging revealed extreme dislocation of the cervical vertebrae, spinal cord damage, and blockage of both vertebral arteries. Blood pressure repeatedly dropped to dangerous levels, requiring high-dose drugs to sustain circulation.

Imaging examination shows the sevastating injury on the patient's cervical vertebra. (Photo from the pfficial WeChat account of Shanghai Changzheng Hospital)

"We have consulted a lot of literature at home and abroad, and we never found such a serious case of cervical fracture, let alone one in which the patient survived treatment," Chen said.

A multidisciplinary team, including three Shanghai Renxin Physician Award recipients and specialists in emergency medicine and anesthesiology, developed a precise surgical plan. They addressed risks such as uncontrollable bleeding, circulatory collapse, and infection.

During a three-hour operation, the team removed a massive hematoma, corrected the vertebral dislocation, and used a combination of conventional and auxiliary plating to stabilize the spine, a technique applied for the first time in such an extreme case.

The patient regained consciousness rapidly, vital signs stabilized, and he has begun rehabilitation, now able to sit with assistance.

"Moving forward, we will continue to explore the field of cervical spine surgery, relentlessly pushing technical boundaries to ignite hope for more critically endangered patients," Chen said.