~ A relaxing vacation to Shimla ended in a devastating spinal cord injury, but advanced surgical intervention and rehabilitation gave this patient a second chance at walking ~
Chennai, 14th October 2026: Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, Chennai, successfully treated a 65-year-old male patient who sustained an acute spinal cord injury and quadriparesis (weakness or paralysis affecting all four limbs) following an accidental fall on snow during a vacation in Shimla in February 2026.The patient, a resident of Chennai, had travelled to Shimla in February 2026 for what was meant to be a relaxing leisure trip. Although he had been experiencing chronic neck pain for some time, he had neglected it, completely unaware of the severity of his underlying condition. However, the vacation quickly turned into a tragedy when he accidentally slipped and fell on the snow, injuring his neck. He also developed an inability to walk and move all four limbs.
The patient initially received treatment at a hospital in Shimla before travelling by train for a couple of days to Chennai. Given his critical condition, several hospitals in Chennai were reluctant to undertake surgery, cautioning the family that his condition could deteriorate further, potentially leaving him ventilator-dependent and unable to breathe independently. The family was also informed that, as nearly a week had passed since the spinal injury, the chances of recovery were extremely slim. Despite these challenges, the family remained hopeful and subsequently brought him to Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, Velappanchavadi, for further evaluation and treatment.
On evaluation, the treating team headed by Dr. Ganesh Kumar (Consultant Spine Surgeon) at Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals identified Cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL). OPLL is a rare and often progressive disorder characterized by the abnormal calcification of the flexible ligament that runs along the back of the spine. Over time, this soft tissue transforms into solid bone, gradually narrowing the spinal canal and placing severe, chronic pressure on the delicate spinal cord. Because his spinal canal was already narrowed due to OPLL, what would have been a trivial, harmless fall for anyone else resulted in life-changing paralysis for this patient. In this patient, the pre-existing condition, together with the trivial traumatic neck injury, resulted in weakness of all four limbs, along with bladder and bowel involvement.
Following initial stabilisation, Dr. Ganesh Kumar, Consultant Spine Surgeon, Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, and his team performed a complex cervical spine procedure under total intravenous anaesthesia. The surgery involved C2–C6 posterior decompression (laminectomy) to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and lateral mass screw fixation to stabilise the affected spinal segments. To ensure the highest level of patient safety during this high-risk procedure, the surgical team utilized Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM), an advanced technology that tracks nerve function in real-time during the surgery. The surgery lasted approximately 3 hours. Following the procedure, the patient was closely monitored in the intensive care unit and was gradually weaned off ventilator support as his condition stabilised.
He subsequently underwent multidisciplinary care and an intensive rehabilitation programme that included gait training, limb-strengthening exercises and breathing exercises. With continued postoperative management and rehabilitation, he demonstrated steady neurological and functional improvement. After five days of hospitalisation, he was discharged in stable condition and advised continuing rehabilitation and physiotherapy on an outpatient basis. Today, the patient’s status stands as a medical triumph: he is now walking entirely independently without any assistance. Furthermore, he has fully regained his fine motor skills, allowing him to comfortably use his mobile phone and seamlessly return to his routine daily activities.
“This case highlights the immense danger of ignoring chronic neck pain and undiagnosed, rare spinal conditions like OPLL, which can act as a ‘ticking time bomb’ inside the body. Because of this pre-existing narrowing, a relatively minor trauma—like a slip on the snow—caused a devastating, immediate spinal cord injury. Early identification and prompt, precise surgical management are crucial in these scenarios,” said Dr. Ganesh Kumar, Consultant Spine Surgeon, Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals.
“Furthermore, I want to reassure the public that with the advent of recent technologies like Intraoperative Neuromonitoring, spine surgeries today are very safe. The risk of complications is now close to zero. By combining these advanced techniques with our multidisciplinary critical care and structured rehabilitation, we were able to perform a high-risk surgery with maximum safety and help this patient walk again,” he added.
“At Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, we are equipped to manage complex medical and surgical conditions through an integrated approach that brings together advanced surgical capabilities, critical care infrastructure and multidisciplinary expertise. Cases involving severe spinal cord injuries require not only precise surgical intervention but also coordinated postoperative care and structured rehabilitation to support functional recovery. Our focus remains on delivering comprehensive, patient-centred care at every stage of treatment, supported by the expertise of our clinical teams and the hospital’s facilities,” said Dr. S Ramesh Babu, Medical Director, Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, Velappanchavadi, Chennai.
