In June 2019, Charlotte native Jeffrey Greene, now 57, had an accident, falling four stories and landing on concrete. After emergency medical technicians (EMTs) resuscitated him, Jeffrey was rushed to Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center, the area’s only Level I trauma center.
“The trauma team at Atrium Health are miracle workers,” says Jeffrey. “I don’t know that I’d be alive without them.”
The trauma team’s priority was to stabilize Jeffrey. Because of the extent of his injuries, the team had to resuscitate him a second time.
Jeffrey’s life-saving trauma team included surgeons Dr. Kyle Cunningham, Dr. Bradley Thomas, Dr. William Miles, and Dr. David Jacobs.
Jeffrey’s Injuries From the Accident
The impact of the fall fractured Jeffrey’s hip socket, causing it to completely separate from the rest of his pelvis.
“It’s among the worst injuries of this type I’ve seen,” says Dr. Kevin Phelps, an orthopedic trauma surgeon at Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute. “He had a severe right sided hip socket fracture and the back of his pelvis—the sacrum—was completely separated. He also experienced a severe tibial plateau fracture, which is a fracture of the lower part of the knee.”
Amazingly, Jeffrey didn’t sustain a head injury or break bones in other parts of his body.
Orthopedic Surgery to Rebuild Jeffrey’s Pelvis and Knee
Once Jeffrey was stabilized, Phelps planned and performed orthopedic surgery to repair his shattered right hip socket, pelvis and knee. Phelps rebuilt Jeffrey’s hip socket with multiple plates and screws and reattached Jeffrey’s broken sacrum back to his intact sacrum and spine to stabilize his pelvis. A spine surgeon also assisted in linking the spine to the pelvis with a rod and screws to reinforce the fixation of the sacral fracture that Phelps performed.
“The bones in my pelvis and leg were completely shattered,” says Jeffrey. “Dr. Phelps had to take out pieces of bone like they were broken glass all throughout my leg. He dedicated a tremendous amount of time to this surgery so I wouldn’t have to endure another major surgery later.”
Jeffrey says Phelps’ belief in the procedure’s success gave him the strength to keep going during his painful recovery.
“Dr. Phelps’ confidence in what he did and the potential outcome singlehandedly gave me the hope that I was going to be OK,” he says.
More Than 100 Days in the Hospital
Such severe injuries required Jeffrey to stay in the hospital for more than 100 days. In the first few weeks after his surgery, he experienced significant pain and complications. His intestines started to fail, so the trauma team removed a part of his intestines.
Jeffrey then experienced another bowel blockage that required emergency surgery by Cunningham, a trauma surgeon with Atrium Health.
“He saved my life,” says Jeffrey.
After orthopedic surgery, two abdominal operations and spine surgery, Jeffrey says it was “touch and go” for weeks.
“The pain was indescribable,” he says. “But the nursing staff was incredible. They even threw me a birthday party while I was in the hospital.
Jeffrey gradually progressed to sitting in the chair next to his bed for 30 minutes at a time, then started using a wheelchair. He’s grateful to the physical therapists who worked with him in the hospital to help him regain his function.
“I never thought I’d walk again with the amount of pain I was in at the time,” he says. “But after a few months, the physical therapy was helping. I remember telling myself, 'Everything you want is on the other side of this pain and fear,'" says Jeffrey.
Soon, he and his team started making plans to transfer him to a medical rehabilitation facility. But suddenly, Jeffrey got extremely ill and was diagnosed with a urinary tract and gallbladder infection. He ended up back in intensive care and needed gallbladder surgery. After recovering from yet another surgery, Jeffrey finally went to the medical rehabilitation facility.
Jeffrey spent another three months rehabilitating his injuries at the facility and continued his progress once he went home. He also dedicated time to his mental health and processing the trauma of the accident.
Nearly a year after the accident, he could finally walk unassisted.
Four Years Later
Now, nearly four years later, Jeffrey is thriving: He’s in the best shape of his life and walks everywhere he goes. He’s found a career he loves in financial trading and is currently in law school. He enjoys spending time with his four daughters. And he went snow skiing last winter.
“In my mind, I’m completely recovered,” he says. “I’ve had some discomfort, but it’s extremely manageable.”
Phelps is also pleased with Jeffrey’s recovery.
“He’s doing very well from where he started,” says Phelps. “His pelvis has healed well and he has no pain in his pelvis or hip. His knee doesn’t bother him too much despite his severe tibial plateau fracture. He’s doing remarkably well and has a great outlook on life that keeps him moving forward and continuing to get better and stronger. I’m glad to see that for him.”
Jeffrey is continuously grateful for his entire medical team at Atrium Health.
“I had a near-death experience and this facility saved my life and put me back together,” he says.
Jeffrey’s encouragement to others
Despite the intense mental and physical challenges he endured, Jeffrey says the accident changed him for the better.
“I’m someone I wasn’t before, having experienced a different reality of the life we take for granted every day,” he says. “I’ve learned to deal with pain, uncertainty and fear. It all pays off once you’re through it – you become someone you never were before.”
Learn more about trauma care at Atrium Health.
