Patiala
22 December 2021
DIVYA AZAD
The Neurosurgery Team (Brain & Spine Surgery) at Fortis Hospital Mohali successfully treated a 52-year-old patient suffering from Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, which had rendered him immobile causing excruciating pain and burning sensation in the legs.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis causes narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back, thereby leading to extreme pain and progressive weakness in one or both legs. A delay in treatment would have damaged nerves in the legs and urinary system, thereby worsening the condition and eventually causing the patient to become bedridden.
The team of doctors led by Dr Harsimrat Bir Singh Sodhi, Senior Consultant, Neuro-Spine Surgery, Fortis Mohali, operated on the patient, Malvinder Singh, using the latest innovative techniques of Neuro-navigation and Neuro-monitoringavailable only at select centres such as Fortis Hospital Mohali. Neuro-navigation or image-guided surgery provides guidance to the surgeon by directing towards critical areas of the brain and spine. This makes the surgery less invasive and more accurate, with an aim towards achieving perfection without inadvertent damage to normal structures.
On presentation, patient Malvinder Singh complained of severe backache and acute pain radiating down both legs along with gradual decline in walking distance. The pain worsened when the patient got up after prolonged seating and worsened with every step. Unable to bear the extreme pain, he finally approached Dr Sodhi at Fortis Hospital Mohali on 15th May, 2021.
Upon examination, patient Malvinder Singh was found to have severe canal stenosis in the lumbar region (lower back) along with instability of two vertebrae (slippage of one vertebra over another). This caused extreme discomfort to the patient in getting up and walking as the nerves got stretched due to movement in the lower back.
Dr Sodhi performed the complex surgery through Neuro-navigation with extreme precision, as the nerves supplying the urinary system and the legs are placed nearby. Complete surgical decompression and fixation was achieved, which helped relieve pain and pressure on the spinal cord or severely compressed nerves within 24 hours of the surgery.
Following good rehabilitation at Fortis Hospital Mohali, patient Malvinder Singh made a fast recovery and
symptoms of lower limb sciatica such as pain in the leg, thigh and buttocks began to disappear. The patient was able to walk without any support two days after the surgery and subsequently discharged. Two weeks after the medical procedure, the patient resumed work and has recovered completely. He is leading a normal life today.
