Internal decapitation
Encyclopedia
Internal decapitation, atlanto-occipital
dislocation, or orthopedic decapitation
describes the rare medical condition in which the skull
separates from the spinal column during severe head injury
. This injury is usually fatal, since it usually involves nerve
damage or severance of the spinal cord
.
The practice of hanging
relies on internal decapitation, as it creates a situation where subjects' necks are broken under their own weight. (A botched hanging can result in a gruesome external decapitation or, if the neck does not break, a situation in which the subject strangles to death.)
woman survived the injury, as there was little nervous system
damage. In July 2007 an 11-year-old boy in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan also survived with a hospital stay of only two and a half weeks. In April 2004, a 14-year-old Phoenix, Arizona
boy suffered an internal decapitation after being struck by a car while on his bike. The boy recovered from his injuries, and was featured on the shows I Came Away Alive for the National Geographic Channel
, as well as Untold Stories of the E.R.
and "Medical Incredible" for the Discovery Health Channel
. In October 2008, a 9-year-old Hillsboro, Texas
boy was internally decapitated during a car accident. Despite being given little chance for survival, he made an almost full recovery within 3 months of the incident and was able to return to school in the beginning of 2009. Jon Wilhite, a former baseball player and Cal State Fullerton catcher, suffered the same injury in a vehicular collision on April 9, 2009. Jon Wilhite survived the injury. In August 2009, 18-year-old Amanda Kapp survived this as well.
On Christmas Eve, 2009 5-year-old Meadow Rhynes from Providence Village, TX suffered an internal decapitation from a head on car accident. Meadow also had traumatic brain injury, brain stem damage, and massive internal injuries. Neurosurgeons at Children's Medical Center Dallas performed an Occipital-Cervical Fusion from the C0-C5 to fix the injury of the head coming off of the spine. Meadow's other injuries were also taken care of and Meadow is back to almost 100% baseline, only a year later, after the accident occurred.
On December 19, 2010 a 20 year old woman, Amber McKinney, was in an accident with her boyfriend and survived the internal decapitation. Along with the internal decapitation, she had a brain injury and a broken femur. She recovered in two months.
On July 31, 2011, U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant David Smith was rear ended by a drunk driver while sitting on his motorcycle at a stop light in Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, California. Smith went on to survive the injury, having the C1, C2 and C3 cervical vertebrae fused by surgery through the back of his neck and the all 3 fused to the base of his skull via titanium hardware, nine days later. David Smith was walking 2 days after surgery and in physical therapy within two weeks and was released from hospital before the end of August, 2011.
Atlanto-occipital joint
The Atlanto-occipital joint consists of a pair of condyloid joints. The atlanto-occipital joint is a synovial joint.-Ligaments:The ligaments connecting the bones are:* Two Articular capsules...
dislocation, or orthopedic decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
describes the rare medical condition in which the skull
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
separates from the spinal column during severe head injury
Head injury
Head injury refers to trauma of the head. This may or may not include injury to the brain. However, the terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in medical literature....
. This injury is usually fatal, since it usually involves nerve
Nerve
A peripheral nerve, or simply nerve, is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
damage or severance of the spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
.
The practice of hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
relies on internal decapitation, as it creates a situation where subjects' necks are broken under their own weight. (A botched hanging can result in a gruesome external decapitation or, if the neck does not break, a situation in which the subject strangles to death.)
People who have survived internal decapitation
In January 2007, a Lincoln, NebraskaLincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
woman survived the injury, as there was little nervous system
Nervous system
The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous...
damage. In July 2007 an 11-year-old boy in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan also survived with a hospital stay of only two and a half weeks. In April 2004, a 14-year-old Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
boy suffered an internal decapitation after being struck by a car while on his bike. The boy recovered from his injuries, and was featured on the shows I Came Away Alive for the National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel, also commercially abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo, is a subscription television channel that airs non-fiction television programs produced by the National Geographic Society. Like History and the Discovery Channel, the channel features documentaries with factual...
, as well as Untold Stories of the E.R.
Untold Stories of the E.R.
Untold Stories of the E.R. is a docudrama television series which airs on TLC and Discovery Fit & Health.In this program real-life emergency room doctors tell about their most bizarre and puzzling cases. Typically these involve medical sabotage, violently or strangely acting patients,...
and "Medical Incredible" for the Discovery Health Channel
Discovery Health Channel
Discovery Health Channel is a website owned by Discovery Communications, created for people interested in health and wellness. Until December 31, 2010, it was a U.S. cable television specialty channel dedicated to television programming that highlights various aspects of health and wellness...
. In October 2008, a 9-year-old Hillsboro, Texas
Hillsboro, Texas
Hillsboro is a city in and the county seat of Hill County in Central Texas. The population was 8,232 at the 2000 census.Hillsboro, located on Interstate 35 where I-35E and I-35W meet south of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is the primary center for trade and commerce in Hill County...
boy was internally decapitated during a car accident. Despite being given little chance for survival, he made an almost full recovery within 3 months of the incident and was able to return to school in the beginning of 2009. Jon Wilhite, a former baseball player and Cal State Fullerton catcher, suffered the same injury in a vehicular collision on April 9, 2009. Jon Wilhite survived the injury. In August 2009, 18-year-old Amanda Kapp survived this as well.
On Christmas Eve, 2009 5-year-old Meadow Rhynes from Providence Village, TX suffered an internal decapitation from a head on car accident. Meadow also had traumatic brain injury, brain stem damage, and massive internal injuries. Neurosurgeons at Children's Medical Center Dallas performed an Occipital-Cervical Fusion from the C0-C5 to fix the injury of the head coming off of the spine. Meadow's other injuries were also taken care of and Meadow is back to almost 100% baseline, only a year later, after the accident occurred.
On December 19, 2010 a 20 year old woman, Amber McKinney, was in an accident with her boyfriend and survived the internal decapitation. Along with the internal decapitation, she had a brain injury and a broken femur. She recovered in two months.
On July 31, 2011, U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant David Smith was rear ended by a drunk driver while sitting on his motorcycle at a stop light in Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, California. Smith went on to survive the injury, having the C1, C2 and C3 cervical vertebrae fused by surgery through the back of his neck and the all 3 fused to the base of his skull via titanium hardware, nine days later. David Smith was walking 2 days after surgery and in physical therapy within two weeks and was released from hospital before the end of August, 2011.