Mr Chandrasekaran Kaliaperumal 2021-02-01 Person 5 5 0

I was stabbed multiple times in my back and left to die with a blade (which had broken off) still imbedded in my spinal column. After the amazing life-saving help which the initial first aiders, paramedics and the medic one team provided, my life was put into the hands of Dr. Chandrasekaran. I am eternally grateful that he used his expertise not only in the Neurological field but also drawing on his vast experience of Paediatric surgery to perform a calculated risk and in doing so he literally saved my life and set an example in the field of Neurology for similar injuries. When I was taken in the care of Dr. Chandrasekaran, I had lost more than half of my blood, my lower body was completely paralysed below T3 as the blade severed 60% of my spinal cord and I was barely breathing or conscious. Part of the upper and lower vertebrae had to be removed to access the point of the blade (Unfortunately it was impossible to save the bone). The surgery plan would have been to remove the blade and to close the wound, which, due to the nature of the injury would have left me permanently paralysed below the wound site. Instead, Dr. Chandrasekaren drew on his experience and used a suture suitable for Paediatric surgery to connect the very fine nerves one by one in my spinal cord which resulted in the surgery taking 6 hours as opposed to 1.5 - 2 hours if he proceeded with the conventional surgery plan. When I woke up after the surgery, he came to ask how I was feeling and if I had any movement or sensation in my lower limbs. I could barely move a toe on my left foot but couldn’t feel anything yet to which he started beaming with a smile and assured me that it wouldn’t be long before I would be able to stand back on my own feet. After a few days in ICU I was moved to the Spinal Cord Injury Unit of Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow for further recovery and rehab where I was initially told that it could take several months before I can be in a position to be independent or even stand on my feet. In the very brief encounter post-surgery with Dr. Chandrasekaran I had faith in what he told me regarding my movement and I kept up with the Physiotherapy and rehab in the hospital. Every day I had remarkable improvements in movement in one side of my lower body. I left the Spinal Unit within 2 and a half months to return home and according to the Consultant and Physio there it was a record. Before leaving I managed to stand up, move around with the help of crutches, climb a flight of stairs, and get into and out of a car - nothing short of miraculous. Dr. Chandrasekaran called me one week after I was back home, after reading an article in the local newspaper about my amazing recovery to date and he invited me to meet as soon as possible. He was very excited about hearing the positive news that the operation and rehab had on my body. We met at his office in the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh the next day where he looked at me walking. He was ecstatic about the success of the operation. We spoke in detail about the day he performed the surgery and how he changed his mind midway to sew my spinal cord together as opposed to blade removal and closing the wound. It came home to me then that his actions during surgery and that by following his hunch meant that I am now able to walk (with continued improvement) rather than being permanently paralysed. Dr. Chandrasekaran’s work has set a benchmark and my case file has been shared with the Neurological community. By following the steps of Dr. Chandrasekaren, other surgeons could potentially save many people from being paralysed for life. His work and findings have meant that I am having a better quality of life than otherwise envisaged. For that I echo that I am eternally grateful to Dr. Chandrasekaren and his team.