Muscat: Al Suwaiq Hospital recently performed its first specialized spinal surgery, with support from Khoula Hospital. The 3-hour operation was an urgent, complex surgical intervention that saved the life of a man who had suffered serious injuries in a road accident.

According to Oman News Agency, the injured was taken to the hospital's Emergency Department after being run down by a vehicle. He immediately underwent diagnostic tests through CT and MRI scans that showed that the injured had suffered multiple fractures in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, in addition to acute pressure on the nerves inside the spinal canal-which caused paralysis in the lower limbs.

The surgical procedure included widening the spinal canal and fixing the multi-level fractures of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae using medical screws, with the aim of easing pressure on the spinal nerves and restoring spinal stability.

The patient began to show signs of improvement and he is currently undergoing rehabilitation care. The surgery constitutes a step forward in the development of specialized health services at Al Suwaiq Hospital. It also embodies the significance of integration among health institutions in the Sultanate of Oman and the decentralization of advanced medical services offered to citizens and residents in their local neighbourhoods.