Doctors at the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) have successfully performed a complex surgical procedure on the spine called Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) with deformity correction on two debilitated patients. Less than five surgeons are trained for this procedure in India.
These surgeries, RMLIMS claimed, mark first successful cases of their kind, performed in a government institution in India, including the renowned All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.
The surgeries were performed by faculty in neurosurgery RMLIMS, who is only faculty with dual training (both neuro and orthopaedic spine), Dr Rakesh Kumar Singh assisted by doctors from department of urology, and anaesthesia department.
Dr Singh said that ALIF is a complex surgery that involves making an incision in the lower abdomen and accessing the spine from the front.
This technique is also used for lumbar disc replacement. It is an advanced and anatomically accurate approach for spondylolisthesis and adult degenerative spinal deformity as maximum restoration of normal spinal alignment which is not possible in traditional technique in which incision is made from the back.
“In ALIF, patients can be mobilised early and return to work,” he added.
The first patient, a 65-year-old woman, had surgery for a slipped disc in her lower back 9 years ago. Four years ago, the screws that were used to hold the disc in place failed, and she started experiencing severe back pain and numbness in her legs.
She was unable to walk or stand for long periods of time, and she gained a lot of weight. She underwent surgery in three stages to correct the slip and deformity.
After the surgery, she was able to walk and bear weight again.
The second patient, a 54-year-old woman from Gorakhpur, had a high-grade slipped disc in her lower back with severe back pain and numbness in her legs. She underwent surgery with a minimally invasive procedure called ALIF and posterior fusion.
The next day, she was walking comfortably and was discharged from the hospital on June 13.
After the surgery, both patients reported significant improvement in their pain and function. They were able to walk without pain, and they were able to return to their normal activities.
Dr Singh said that there are less than five spinal surgeons trained for this procedure in the whole country.
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