UPDATE: Alex McKinnon Placed In An Induced Coma
Doctors have just given an update on the condition of Newcastle Knights forward Alex McKinnon’s neck injury that has been posted on the Newcastle Knights official web site.
The statement reads…
TUESDAY EVENING:
On Monday night scan results for Alex McKinnon confirmed a dislocation at C4 and C5.McKinnon had emergency surgery early on Tuesday morning to stabilise his neck, which consisted of a disc removal at C4 and C5 and anterior fusion.
Alex had additional scans on Tuesday afternoon, which confirmed a devastating spinal injury.
Alex remains in hospital in intensive care and may require further surgery to stabilise his spine.
He has movement in his right arm and the uncertainty remains in regeneration, with a variable prognosis.
The doctors explained regeneration and recovery could be up to two years.
Family and Club officials remain with Alex in hospital. The Club requests Alex and his family’s privacy is respected at this time.
TUESDAY MORNING:
Scan results for Alex McKinnon confirm a fracture at C4 and C5.His spinal cord is not severed but the doctors are unsure about the level of spinal cord compromise.
It will be a number of days or weeks until the extent of his injury is known.
Alex’s family have now arrived in Melbourne and are with him, along with Club doctor Peter McGeoch and Club officials.
When there is additional information, an update will be provided.
We ask that any reporting of this delicate matter be handled with respect to Alex and his family.
MONDAY NIGHT:
Alex McKinnon was taken to hospital for scans following a neck injury in Monday night’s game against the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.The Club will provide a further update as soon as there is additional information available – however that isn’t expected until Tuesday.
Alex’s family have been and will continue to be in constant contact with Club officials.
Club officials remain with Alex in hospital.The Club thanks everyone for their well wishes.
Meanwhile the NRL has decided to defer Melbourne Storm player Jordan McLean’s judiciary hearing to next week out of respect for Alex McKinnon’s family. In the meantime McLean will be stood down from this weeks match. In my opinion that is the right decision considering the circumstances. While the Storm are legally allowed to challenge this decision and have McLean play this week, I don’t think they will.
This injury is one of the very worst I have ever seen in all of my years watching the game. I have seen players suffer neck injuries that in some cases have ended their careers, but I have never seen a player in the distress that McKinnon was obviously in on Monday night. It is something that I hope to never see again.
For all of the rule changes that are made to make the game as safe as possible, sometimes accidents are just going to happen. For the hundreds of thousands of tackles I have seen made in games this tackle just seems to have been that one tackle where something bad has happened.
It is very, very sad and you can only hope that McKinnon can make a full recovery from this injury. Forget football, if he can just come out of this with his health, that will be enough.
My thoughts are with Alex McKinnon, his family and his friends right now.
Newcastle Knights Statement: http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2014/03/24/injury_update_alex_mckinnon.html
