Question
Hello I was just wondering if you can provide me with some information about something,, my uncle has a big disk protrusion between L3 and L4 vertebra and the neurosurgeons have advised him to undergo an emergent decompression surgery to free his spinal cord, after a while he decided to undergo a non-traumatic disc surgery in which there are no stitches and no cuts just the circumference of a prope,, surgery was almost successful but at the end of the surgery he stopped breathing and the doctors were shocked they turned over on his belly immediately to wake him up,, he woke up normally and on the second day he was almost perfect,, on the third she shouted with a great pain in his,, we were really  shocked so we made an MRI to see what is going on,, the Radiologist said that the remaining disk left has ruptured and extended over the Cauda equina on that day he vomited so much and the doctors decided and emergent surgery to decompress the nerves,, surgery was done successfully but the surgeon said that the ruptured disk bruised his cord and therefore needs a period of six to 12 months to recover saying that nerves reinnervation is 1 mm/day and therefore needs time,,but he insisted that the nerves are not damaged and that all we need is time,, it has been three months now and my uncle is kind of paraplegiac, he is using an internal catheter and partial loss of sensation in his legs and buttocks,, but there is some motion and his muscles are kind of functioning he is improving but the recovery process is too slow.. my question here is. after the assumed period of six to 12 months what is the chance of having full or 90% recovery considering that my uncle is a four time swimming champion and was in a swimming race one month before the surgery??

Answer
Dear Yousef,  

I would say he has a very good chance at a 90% recovery, if not a full recovery based on what the surgeon said. But it may take the full 12 months. I will pray for his full recovery. I am a C4-C5 quadriplegic and was 18 when I was injured; full of life and into playing all sports. So I can understand just how important athletics can be to a person. Anyway, take care.

Sincerely, Ken