Question
My nephew had scoliosis surgery 48hrs ago and the Dr. hit his spine with an instrument. He can move one leg but has no feeling and the other leg he cannot move but is hypersensitive to touch. What should they be doing to help him? They are taking a wait and see apporoach but I think they need to be more aggressive with treatment if possible. I would appreciate a prompt response considering time is so important. Thank you so very much for any help or advise you can offer.

Answer
Each injury to the spinal cord is unique and specific to the individual.  After the initial injury, there is swelling in the area.  This is called spinal cord shock and it will resolve itself over time.  The length of time is somewhat dependent on the severity of the injury.  The more severe the injury, the longer the recovery time.

As a result, the 'wait-and-see' approach is the proper treatment.  More injury could be done by attempting additional surgery or any other aggressive therapies.  Many times, the symptoms of the injury will get better as the cord shock goes away.

Keep a positive outlook for your nephew's sake and for your own piece of mind.  The attitudes of the patient and those around him are very important for recovery.

Thank you for your question, Celeste.  I hope that my answer was helpful.