THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
A 46-year-old woman from Gujarat, who had been suffering from chronic pain in her neck and hands due to degeneration in her spine, underwent successful keyhole surgery. The advanced cervical total disc arthroplasty took place at KIMSHEALTH Thiruvananthapuram. A detailed examination of the patient revealed that a disc in her neck had slipped and was compressing the nerves in her hands. Subsequently, under the leadership of Dr. Ranjith Unnikrishnan, Consultant, Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, the damaged disc was replaced with an artificial prosthetic implant through a three-hour-long surgery.
The patient had been experiencing constant pain for several months. An MRI scan revealed a slipped disc in her neck, causing disc degeneration at another level, resulting in nerve compression. Typically, the treatment for such cases involves an anterior cervical microdiscectomy and fusion, where the slipped disc is removed, and a metal plate is implanted. However, in this patient, the placement of a metal plate could potentially increase degeneration in the adjacent disc, leading to a loss of mobility in the area and other complications. Therefore, instead of opting for the traditional approach, the medical team opted for Cervical Total Disc Arthroplasty, replacing the slipped disc.
Dr. Ranjith Unnikrishnan said that it was a significant achievement to be able to replace a cervical disc through keyhole surgery. He mentioned that this procedure is not commonly performed. The main advantage is that the patient can enjoy near-normal neck mobility and can return to normal life soon. He also highlighted scientific studies suggesting reduced chances of degeneration in adjacent discs compared to fusion procedures. Dr. Surayya Mehboob, from the Department of Anesthesia, was part of the surgery.
