Published Jul 17, 2024 | 3:05 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 17, 2024 | 3:22 PM
Human spine. Representational Image. (iStock)
A Bengaluru hospital successfully treated a teenager suffering from a severely dislocated spinal disc — who was obese and weighed 111 kg — by performing a “Micro-Lumbar Discectomy”.
The procedure was done by a team of doctors led by Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr Ganesh V of Fortis Hospital in Bengaluru.
The team performed an hour-long surgery which ended the young boy’s four-month struggle with severe pain and immobility, eventually allowing him to walk with ease shortly after the procedure, the hospital said in a release on Tuesday, 16 July.
The patient, 15-year-old Syed Salahudin Quadri, had an extruded disc and the struggle due to it significantly impacted his daily life.
“The intense pain radiating from his lower back to his ankles hindered his ability to walk, stand, sit and perform routine activities. He struggled to concentrate on his studies, often missing classes due to the debilitating pain,” the hospital said.
He had sought medical assistance at local hospitals near his hometown in Bellary. However, in spite of various treatments and therapies, his condition showed no signs of improvement.
After he was admitted to Fortis Hospital, examinations, including advanced MRI scans, revealed a severe Posterocentral Disc Extrusion at the L3-L4 level of his spine.
Posterocentral Disc Extrusion is a condition where the inner core of the spinal disc ruptures through its outer layer, pressing against the spinal cord and nerve roots — causing excruciating pain and compromising mobility, the hospital said.
Dr Ganesh recommended a Micro-Lumbar Discectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure aimed at removing the extruded disc to relieve pressure on the nerves.
“Following the successful surgery, Syed experienced immediate relief from pain,” the hospital said.
“Treating this case presented significant challenges due to the severe compression of nerve roots in the spine, particularly notable because the patient was young and obese. The disc was pressing on the nerves, causing intense pain and discomfort to the patient,” Dr Ganesh said.
“During the surgery, our approach focused on delicate and precise movements to ensure the safety of the surrounding nerves and tissues. The primary goal was to relieve the pressure on the compressed nerves by carefully removing the problematic disc material.”
“This required attention to detail to avoid any damage to the adjacent structures. By successfully performing the micro-lumbar discectomy, we were able to alleviate the acute pain and restore normal nerve function for the patient. This procedure not only addressed the immediate issue of nerve compression but also aimed to provide long-term relief and improved mobility,” he added.
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