Minimal Invasive surgery for the spine continue to evolve
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, -Thursday 24 October 2019 [ AETOS Wire ]
Minimal
invasive surgeries (MIS) are considered most effective in the treatment
of spine related injuries. As advancements in the field continue to
take place, several new techniques to treat patients with similar
conditions have been introduced, one of them being the ‘minimal invasive
percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement’. So, when 48-year-old Andy
Mercer, visited Emirates Hospital- Jumeirah (EHJ) complaining of severe
pain in the lower back, he was recommended a similar surgery that would
yield quicker and better results.
Mercer first
visited the hospital when the back pain was restricting his daily
activities, making him heavily dependent on pain killers, muscle
relaxants and forcing him to undergo several sessions of physiotherapy
for more than 9 months, without significant relief.
Mercer was
referred to Dr Aseem Alhaj, Consultant Neuro and Spine surgeon of
Emirates Hospital – Jumeriah, who conducted a detailed MRI and X-ray on
him. Results revealed that he had a defect in the posterior part of the
vertebrae, causing instability in movement along with degenerative
changes caused by one vertebra slipping over the other.
“We then
decided to go for surgical treatment opting for the most advanced
minimally invasive spine surgery. During the procedure percutaneous
screws were inserted into the vertebrae through small incisions in the
skin to help stabilize the spine. To monitor the nerves throughout the
duration of the surgery neuromonitoring was done, and the spinal canal
was opened with the help of a microscope to make more room for the nerve
roots,” said Dr Aseem.
The advantage
of the surgery in comparison to the open traditional surgery is that it
causes minimal bleeding during the surgery and less pain post-surgery.
The recovery time is reported to be faster, allowing the patient to
resume their normal activities at the earliest. In this case, Mercer was
discharged four days after the surgery and could get back to work two
weeks after, reporting no complications.
“It feels
great that the doctors were able to identify a way to treat this
debilitating pain and treat it. It currently feels great and I’m having
no issues at all. I’m glad the surgery has left minimal scarring and
I’ll be starting physiotherapy end of this year and cannot wait to get
back to the golf course by August next year,” Mercer said.
Minimal
invasive technique is accomplished through small incisions resulting in
lesser intraoperative blood loss, faster recovery and minimal
postoperative pain, compared to conventional surgical techniques. While
this technique is generally used to treat patients with degenerative
diseases such as low back pain, misplacement of disc, or instability in
spine, it is also used to treat tumors and fractures, providing an
accurate solution for the placement of spinal hardware or in the
decompression of the spine.
About Emirates Hospital - Jumeirah:
An Emirates
Healthcare Company, Emirates Hospital - Jumeirah is an internationally
recognised 100-bed beacon of progress in the region’s healthcare system.
It provides personalised, real-time healthcare solutions, and its core
values are Simplicity, Accessibility, Agility, and Empathy.
Located on
Jumeirah Beach Road alongside the Dubai Canal, Emirates Hospital -
Jumeirah is home to some of the world’s leading medical professionals,
and it delivers the highest quality of healthcare.
Emirates
Hospital - Jumeirah partners with regulators, institutions, insurers and
manufacturers to develop and nurture new ideas and long-term strategies
that create positive change in people’s homes and everyday lives.
Emirates Hospital - Jumeirah is operated by NMC Health Plc; KBBO Group
is the largest single shareholder of NMC.
Emirates
Specialty Hospital in Dubai Healthcare City is an Emirates Healthcare
Company. A 90-bed facility with superior technology and experienced,
internationally-trained staff, Emirates Specialty Hospital delivers an
unrivalled range of much-needed specialties.
Emirates
Healthcare is a subsidiary of KBBO Group. A leading holding company
headquartered in Abu Dhabi, KBBO Group invests in healthcare to
safeguard the region’s communities, and to help deliver world-class
medical outcomes powering an inclusive and improved quality of life.
Contacts
SAHARA Communications
Maria F. Tayem, Senior Account Manager, +971501714347, +97143298996
m.tayem@saharapr.com / www.saharagcc.com
