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Marin Metz regains the ability to walk after emergency surgery at OHSU on July 5 following an off-road motorcycle injury on July 4 that initially left her paralyzed. She is pictured here at her home in Winston with her McNabb Shepherd, chef, 2.5 years old. (Photo courtesy of Marin Metz)
A southern Oregon woman walks again, following a terrible off-road motorcycle accident on July 4 that initially left her paralyzed.
Marin Metz, 22, of Winston, underwent emergency spinal surgery at Oregon Health & Science University on July 5. In a few weeks, she regained the mobility of her lower limbs and improved rapidly. Now she can’t wait to walk down the aisle for her wedding next year.
“When they told me about my diagnosis, I thought I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life,” she said. “I couldn’t be where I am without the amazing doctors, nurses, intensive care and rehabilitation staff. I really feel grateful to be where I am today.
WH Andrew Ryu, MD (OHSU)
His surgeon called it an exceptionally good result considering the severity of the injury. WH Andrew Ryu, MD, an assistant professor of neurological surgery at the OHSU School of Medicine, estimates that only 5-10% of patients walk again after this type of injury.
“It’s a remarkable recovery,” said Ryu.
Metz spent the Independence Day vacation as she often did – riding the dunes of the Oregon coast with her fiance and friends. Crest of a razorback ridge, the momentum carried it over the handlebars of the motorcycle and threw it to the ground.
“The bike rolled down the hill and hit me just on the right,” she said. “I remember lying there and immediately realized that I couldn’t move my legs.”
Her fiance, Dalton Scheer, was nearby with a larger group of friends. After a call to 911, an ambulance quickly arrived.
Ryu said Metz benefited from first responders and intensive care providers at the Bay Area Hospital in nearby Coos Bay who stabilized her before she was airlifted to OHSU by Life Flight. the evening of July 4th.
The next day, she was in an operating room at OHSU hospital.
During a 3.5-hour surgery, Ryu and his team decompressed the spinal cord by removing pieces of broken bone pushing on the spinal cord. They then stabilized his spine using a dozen titanium screws and two rods.
After the operation, she spent the next week and a half recovering at OHSU Hospital. Ryu noted that the OHSU Trauma Intensive Care Unit provided excellent care to stabilize Metz after surgery and increase her blood pressure, which is believed to improve blood flow and recovery from injury to her. spinal cord.
When she regained consciousness a few days after the operation, she first noticed that she was able to move her left leg slightly. By the time she was referred to the Legacy Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon on July 15, she was progressing slowly but steadily with additional movements in her legs and feet.
Since returning home to Winston on July 31, she has continued to make steady progress with the help of her fiance, family and regular physical therapy. Ryu also attributes Metz’s remarkable recovery to the fact that she is young and healthy.
“I think she has a good chance of continuing to improve,” Ryu said. “There is very little residual deficit anymore.
Metz, who works as a dental assistant in Roseburg, said she can’t wait to get her life back on track.
“It feels good to be home now with my fiance and my family,” she said. “I can’t wait to get stronger and know that I can walk down the aisle next year at my wedding.”
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