By Health In Five Writer
A team led by Dr. Kailash Kothari, Interventional Spine & Pain Management Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai, gave a fresh lease of life to a 47-year-old patient from Chembur, Mumbai with sciatica by successfully performing a Stitchless Button Hole Surgery. The patient is pain-free now and has resumed his daily routine.
Button hole stitchless endoscopic decompression is very safe with minimal to almost negligible chances of complications. This latest treatment is a paradigm shift in the way patients with slip disc and sciatica are treated.
Abdul Gani Sheikh, who is a shopkeeper by profession, encountered back pain since June. He had sudden deterioration and suffered sudden and severe acute back and leg pain. The patient couldn’t even move his leg due to the pain and numbness. His life was disrupted as he couldn’t go to his shop or bathroom or sit or even sleep as he was yelling due to pain. Though he tried many options and took various medications, nothing seemed to work in his favor. The leg started getting numb and weak. However, the patient was admitted to Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai.
After MRI and blood investigations, the patient was diagnosed with sciatica and treated with button hole surgery also called stitchless endoscopic disc decompression under local anesthesia . The procedure took around 45 minutes. He was pain-free with leg power returned to normal immediately after the operation. Before the operation patient had a pain severity of 10/10 (10 being the most severe pain that anyone can experience). Post-operation, he was totally free of pain. The patient was discharged next day, thanks to this new technology.
The number of people in the age group of 40-60 suffering from sciatica, slip disc, back, and leg pain is increasing now. 80% of population suffer from back pain at some point of life and out of that 1/3rd (25-30% of total population) keep suffering from slip disc and sciatica. They are afraid of spine surgery. Sciatica is a type of radicular back and leg pain that occurs due to the compression of one or more of the five sets of nerve roots in one’s lower back leading to pain, numbness, or weakness in the lower back, buttock(s), or leg(s) on one or both sides. Hence, stitchless button hole surgery can be a good option for patients with sciatica and slip disc.
Dr Kailash Kothari, (President of Indian society for the study of pain), Interventional Spine & Pain Management Specialist at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Mumbai, said, “Patient Abdul Gani came with unbearable back pain and required immediate surgery. After discussing with his family, He was scheduled to undergo this pain-less procedure. The patients with severe back pain who do not respond to conservative therapy have to do spine surgery. These surgeries may have more chances of many long-term complications like delayed recovery, failed surgery syndrome, nerve injury, infection, etc. But, button hole surgery is a day-care procedure wherein the bulged disc is removed with an endoscope and the decompressed nerve is released. In turn, the patient is able to get rid of the back pain. Till now, this procedure has been performed on more than 200 patients.”
“My world turned upside-down as I couldn’t move at all. I would just lie on the bed thinking that I will never be able to stand on my feet again. But, with the help of prompt treatment by the doctors at the hospital, I was able to move freely without pain. I have started going to the shop again within few days. I am thankful to the doctors as I can work with ease now,” concluded patient Abdul Gani Sheikh.
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