19-yr-old walks after rare spine surgery at RGGH

The patient was brought to RGGGH with complaints of inability to walk and after a clinical examination of the patient, it was found that she suffered from neurofibroma, resulting in the paralysis of both lower limbs and loss of sensation.

Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder characterised by tumours that grow in the nervous system and under the skin affecting 1 in 3,000 births. The condition causes orthopaedic problems that lead to curvature of the spine.

The team of doctors headed by chief spine surgeon Dr Nalli R Uvaraj at Ortho Spine Surgery Unit at Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at RGGGH corrected the deformity using a Halo vest traction and continued distraction of the deformed spine daily for six weeks.

A halo vest distraction is a method of reducing the severity of deformity before fusion surgery. The fusion surgery was performed on the patient to connect two or more bones in the spine together so that they fuse together.

After performing spine stabilising surgery, the patient started walking within six months of treatment. Now, the patient can walk independently and is planning to join nursing course.

The hospital authorities at RGGGH said that the ortho spine surgery unit at the hospital is equipped with facilities for the treatment of spinal deformities.