Has se been used here to indicate an unexpected event?

Question

Hi folks, I just wanted to check my understanding of se is correct with this sentence: Se has been used because the nerves coming loose was an accident or an unplanned event? Thanks in advance. Mark.

Le desgarraste algo en la espalda y se le soltaron los nervios

You torn something on her back and all her nerves came loose

(It's a conversation between doctors regarding an operation that went wrong)

Hola Mark. :) - rac1, Mar 18, 2014

Answer 1

Mark has the context. However, after looking up some neurological articles I found that my thinking was not so out of order. I put it up as another answer, Mark, in the hope that somebody else will come n and help us sort the poor girl's back out.

El atrapamiento de los nervios a menudo puede corregirse soltando quirúrgicamente los ligamentos o tendones.

Thanks annierats :-) - mark1118, Mar 18, 2014

Sadly I can't answer the question, but don't give up, many of our friends vlive in other time zones. - annierats, Mar 18, 2014

Answer 2

I think it might have been a success: You tore something in her back and the nerves freed themselves up. ( i.e. she had trapped nerves in the shoulder and they became free.)

I think soltarse is just a normal reflexive verb.

Hi annierats, it definitely wasn't a success, the doctors are talking about an operation where a girl was very nearly paralysed for life due to this error. - mark1118, Mar 18, 2014

Ok, Mark, you must be right. Nerves coming loose seemed unlikely.. - annierats, Mar 18, 2014