Date:16/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/16/stories/2008091659090300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Treatment for spinal deformities

Staff Reporter

-PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

Health watch: V. Surya Prakash Rao, head, spine centre, explains the procedure.

HYDERABAD: For Prasad, a 31-year-old from Krishna district, walking straight was far from reality. Afflicted with a spinal diseases - Ankylosing Spondylitis, his back had become stiff, due to calcification of the spine and had bent like a bow. Now, thanks to the advancement in medical technology, Prasad can walk and perform routine physical activities with ease.

Prasad was a patient of V. Surya Prakash Rao, Head, Wockhardt Spine Centre, and his spinal operation lasted for over five hours. With his back bent and almost parallel to the ground, Dr. Surya Prakash said that placing him on the operating table was a challenge.

“I used to suffer from severe back-pain and later my back started bending and became stiff,” says Prasad. The surgery created a counter deformity at the lower back regions which in turn corrects the overall deformity of the spine, explained the surgeon. “One in 10,000 to 20,000 people suffer from this disease,” informed Dr. Surya Prakash at a press meet held here on Monday.

He said that lack of awareness and early diagnosis led to such severe cases of deformity. He said that the surgery only corrected the deformity but doesn’t cure the diseases. “Prasad might suffer from strain on the hip joints in a few years from now,” says Surya Prakash.

Similarly, another patient Sagar, was operated upon by Dr. Surya Prakash. He was suffering from ‘Paraplegia of Healed Disease’, where bones start weakening and put immense pressure on the spine. He underwent two surgeries, first one to decompress the spinal cord. The healed deformed bone that was putting pressure on the spine was removed and the second surgery that followed was for basic stabilisation of the spine.

“Not many people are aware that there are treatments and surgeries to correct spinal deformities. Some of these spinal deformities can be avoided with early intervention and correct diagnosis by a rheumatologist,” says Dr. Surya Prakash, who has performed 80 such surgeries so far.