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AN Echuca teenager who doctors feared may have suffered spinal damage from a football collision has been cleared of serious injury.
But his father remains disappointed with the two-day experience, during which his son was discharged from hospital on Saturday evening, then re-admitted hours later with concerns he could have bleeding on the spine.
David Garner said the family had to wait two days before his son received an MRI scan at Echuca Hospital, with the results released on Monday evening.
He said the stress could have been avoided if the hospital could carry out MRI scans on weekends.
“We’ve been worried all weekend for something that could have been determined on the first day,” Mr Garner said.
“The CT scan showed a hairline crack on the T2 in the spine, but the MRI came back all clear.
“If there was a person there doing the MRI scans on Saturday or Sunday, we could have avoided all of this.”
Decorated Echuca athlete Corey Garner, 14, was rushed to hospital on Saturday morning after the collision during a football match at Echuca South Recreation Reserve.
He received a CT scan, which showed the possible fracture to the spine. Corey was discharged Saturday evening, but rushed back to hospital at 11.50pm at the request of specialists in Melbourne.
The family had to wait until Monday for the MRI scan to take place. The results showed only bruising to the area, and Corey has been sent home where he is expected to make a full recovery.
Mr Garner said the family was relieved at the result, but disappointed at the process.
“The nurses at the hospital were all very nice,” he said.
“I’ve been informed now that the hospital is training more staff to operate the MRI machine.
“None of this should have happened.”
Echuca Regional Health refused to comment.