Chennai, October 14, 2026: A holiday in Shimla turned tragic when a 65-year-old Chennai resident suffered a severe spinal cord injury after slipping on snow in February 2026, leaving him unable to move his four limbs. At Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, Velappanchavadi, Chennai, a specialist team led by Consultant Spine Surgeon Dr. Ganesh Kumar diagnosed cervical Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL), a condition that narrows the spinal canal and compresses the spinal cord. The underlying condition made the patient vulnerable to severe injury from a seemingly minor fall.
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| In Photo: (L to R) Dr. N. Kannan, Group Director, Academics and Medical Advisory; Dr. S. Ramesh Babu, Medical Director, Velappanchavadi (Global Campus), Dr. Ganesh Kumar, Consultant Orthopedic & Spine Surgeon; Ms. Leena Chandrasekaran, Head of Nursing Operations |
Following stabilisation, Dr. Ganesh Kumar and his team performed a three-hour cervical spine surgery involving C2–C6 posterior decompression and screw fixation, using Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) to monitor nerve function. After intensive care and multidisciplinary rehabilitation, including gait training, limb-strengthening and breathing exercises, the patient showed remarkable improvement.
Discharged in stable condition after five days, he continued physiotherapy and rehabilitation. Today, he walks independently, has regained fine motor skills and has returned to routine activities.
Dr. Ganesh Kumar emphasised the importance of recognising persistent neck pain and identifying underlying spinal conditions early. Dr. S. Ramesh Babu, Medical Director, Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, highlighted the role of advanced surgery, critical care and coordinated rehabilitation in complex cases.
The recovery underscores the importance of timely diagnosis, specialised treatment and comprehensive rehabilitation in spinal cord.
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