Daniel Andrews’ recovery could take ‘months’, decision looms on surgery
Michael Fowler and Melissa Cunningham - March 10, 2021
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A decision on whether Daniel Andrews requires surgery for a fractured spine will be made on Wednesday as the Victorian Premier remains in intensive care in a Melbourne hospital after injuring himself in a fall.
A senior government source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Mr Andrews’ recovery “certainly won’t be quick”, with a more precise time frame dependent on the impending decision of The Alfred hospital trauma centre doctors on surgery.
The source confirmed the Premier had fractured his T7 vertebra, which could require screws to be inserted and a months-long recovery period.
Concerns over the seriousness of Mr Andrews’ condition have gradually increased since he was taken to hospital early on Tuesday after slipping on wet stairs at a holiday home in the Mornington Peninsula while getting ready for work.
He broke ribs on his left and right sides, as diagnosed on Tuesday, but has been cleared of internal injuries such as a punctured lung. The Premier has not sustained head injuries and was conscious and speaking on Wednesday, the government source said.
He was initially treated at the Peninsula Private Hospital in Langwarrin and had a range of scans but on Tuesday evening, after an MRI was assessed by specialists, it was decided to move him to The Alfred.
The T7 is the seventh thoracic vertebra, found in the middle of the chest between the seventh and eighth pairs of ribs. It plays important roles in the support of the spinal cord, ribcage and muscles of the chest.
Leading orthopaedic surgeon Dr John Cunningham – who is not Mr Andrews’ doctor – said based on the description of the Premier’s injuries he would expect him to be out of work for anywhere between six and 12 weeks, depending on the type of treatment he opted for.
“This is my bread and butter, I see these sorts of fractures all the time,” Dr Cunningham said.
“They really knock people for six. Even after successful treatment, they can have lingering symptoms for some time. He will likely be able to recover from this, but it’s going be a while before he’s standing up in Parliament or in front of the press for hours on end.”
Dr Cunningham said any harm to the spinal cord itself usually occurred at the time of the injury and it appeared Mr Andrews had “got through that period”.
“But, secondly, you need to consider ongoing deformity because what can happen is the thoracic spine [upper and middle section] can start to collapse and you can see people develop an arch or a hump. The question of whether or not to operate now – and I say this in general terms – is to do with the chances of him developing an ongoing deformity or what we call a kyphosis.”
Kyphosis is a spinal disorder in which an excessive outward curve of the spine results in an abnormal rounding of the upper back.
There was a very small risk of paraplegia or permanent neurological injury, because surgeons would focus on the thoracic spinal cord.
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