Boy racer recovers from severed head
Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival.
Sky News: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...555822,00.html
Thursday December 07, 2006
A boy who almost had his head ripped from his body in a racing car accident has told Sky News he wants to get back behind the wheel. The impact from the crash lifted 12-year-old Christopher Stewart's skull from the top of his spine - an injury which normally results in death. Despite having trouble speaking, the young driver said he was "fine" and confirmed he wanted to get back on the racing track - but doubted his parents would let him.
Christopher suffered an internal decapitation during a 40mph smash on a track near Alton, Hampshire, in September. Firefighters spent an hour and a half cutting him free from the wreckage of his 1000cc Mini after the accident. The force of the crash also detached his tongue at the root. Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival. But after 19 days in intensive care and four weeks wearing a neck collar, he was able to swim, walk and exercise, although speaking and eating remain difficult.
He has now been allowed to leave Southampton General Hospital for weekend visits, and his delighted parents have hailed his amazing recovery. Mum Debra, 40, from Fareham, said: "I was watching the race and I just felt physically sick. I could see the impact, how fast he was going." She told Sky News: "It is a massive injury and obviously, he's recovering really well and rapidly. "The ongoing problems are mainly neurological ... he has a palsy of the tongue which makes speech difficult and very slow, and also eating is considerably more laboured."
On letting him drive again, Mrs Stewart added: "He has no chance. I can't go through that again."
Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival.
Sky News: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...555822,00.html
Thursday December 07, 2006
A boy who almost had his head ripped from his body in a racing car accident has told Sky News he wants to get back behind the wheel. The impact from the crash lifted 12-year-old Christopher Stewart's skull from the top of his spine - an injury which normally results in death. Despite having trouble speaking, the young driver said he was "fine" and confirmed he wanted to get back on the racing track - but doubted his parents would let him.
Christopher suffered an internal decapitation during a 40mph smash on a track near Alton, Hampshire, in September. Firefighters spent an hour and a half cutting him free from the wreckage of his 1000cc Mini after the accident. The force of the crash also detached his tongue at the root. Surgeons re-attached his head to his spine with metal plates and bone grafts during a six-hour operation. His parents were warned he only had a 7% chance of survival. But after 19 days in intensive care and four weeks wearing a neck collar, he was able to swim, walk and exercise, although speaking and eating remain difficult.
He has now been allowed to leave Southampton General Hospital for weekend visits, and his delighted parents have hailed his amazing recovery. Mum Debra, 40, from Fareham, said: "I was watching the race and I just felt physically sick. I could see the impact, how fast he was going." She told Sky News: "It is a massive injury and obviously, he's recovering really well and rapidly. "The ongoing problems are mainly neurological ... he has a palsy of the tongue which makes speech difficult and very slow, and also eating is considerably more laboured."
On letting him drive again, Mrs Stewart added: "He has no chance. I can't go through that again."
Thats just wrong.
Comment