Elisha I., 21

Elisha is a 21 yo male young adult currently staying with his parents in the city of Bauchi. He just graduated from the secondary school with hopes of furthering his academics, but at the moment there is no means because of financial challenge. They are living in a 2 rooms apartment, this apartment was given to them to stay by the church, it has a pit toilet, they have access to electricity, they make use of water from the well for their daily activities. Elisha a 21-yo male young adult presented with the history of inability to move nor walk with his lower limb following a road traffic accident which happened on the 2/January/2026 when he was hit by a motorcycle. He only moves with support but cannot move on his own, he is in a lot of painful distress and afraid of never been able to regain his full ability. On presentation at our hospital, he was evaluated and a thoracic spine MRI revealed burst fracture of T- vertebra with spinal cord compression. Evaluation of motor function reveals weakness and inability to move the lower limbs without support. Significant pain and disability was confirmed. He was diagnosed with Fracture of the T3 & T4 vertebrae with compression of the spinal cord. He will require emergency surgery of which the family cannot afford the cost which is three million, six hundred and ten thousand naira. The family reached out to Helpster Charity for this urgent help. Surgery relieves spinal cord pressure, prevents further nerve damage, stabilizes the spine, and improves chances of regaining movement and sensation. Early surgery will lead to better recovery, reduced pain, safer rehabilitation, and improved long-term function and quality of life. This is how the accident happened - 2nd January 2026 They were on a commercial motorcycle with his friend going on an occasion when a tricycle made a turn without using the trafficator, this made them hit the back of the tricycle and they all fell on the street. While on the street, Elisha got hit by another moving motorcycle, he was seen hanging on the foot rest of the moving motorcycle, the rider never stopped moving until the shirt Elisha was wearing got torn, this is how he got released from the moving motorcycle. Elisha was still conscious until after few hours when he started feeling numbness on his lower limbs.

Elisha a 21yo male young adult presented to our facility with the history of inability to move nor walk with his lower limb following a road traffic accident. Thoracic spine MRI revealed burst fracture of T10 vertebra with cord compression. Elisha had an emergency surgery, pressure from trauma was relieved and patient was admitted in the ward for proper management, later had series of physiotherapy, he is now able to walk about and gradually resuming his normal life. Patient has been given back hope to finish his education.

For Elisha, Fracture of the T10 vertebra with cord compression is a serious spinal injury. It resulted from high-impact trauma from the road traffic accident that caused the fractures. Fractured vertebra presses on the spinal cord, leading to back pain, weakness or paralysis of the legs, numbness, and loss of bladder or bowel control. It is a medical emergency. Diagnosis is confirmed with X-ray, CT scan, or MRI. Management includes spinal immobilization, steroids in selected cases, surgical decompression and stabilization, pain control, and rehabilitation. Early treatment improves neurological outcome and reduces permanent disability. Early treatment with surgery and proper stabilization, outcomes are better. Younger patients often recover strength and function more effectively than older adults. If nerve damage is incomplete, there is a good chance for significant recovery in the case of Elisha. However, complete cord injury may result in permanent paralysis below the injury level. Early rehabilitation greatly improves long-term function and quality of life.