Category: Latest and Advanced Equipment

Categories
Health Latest and Advanced Equipment Surgical Procedures

How is Spondylolisthesis treated?  

Spondylolisthesis can lead to some serious complications if not diagnosed and treated properly on time. According to the symptoms, the physical examination, and the radiological examination, a proper treatment plan should be started with immediate effect. The treatment of Spondylolisthesis depends on the severity of the condition. If the condition is not serious then it can be managed by non-surgical methods for pain management. But in severe cases surgical intervention is necessary.

Various surgical and non-surgical treatment options for Spondylolisthesis are explained in this article by India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti.

Non-surgical treatment:

  • Rest:

Adequate rest and a break from strenuous activities should be taken. Sports and activities that put pressure on the low back should be avoided.

  • Physical therapy:

A physical therapist can teach a set of exercises that strengthen the muscles of the back and the abdomen. Doing these exercises regularly can reduce pain after some time.

  • Medications:

Anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to reduce the pain.

  • Back brace:

A brace can also be used to stabilize the spine and to limit the movements on the spine. It will help in the process of healing.

  • Injections:

Epidural steroid injections can also be used if the medications are not able to manage pain properly.

Surgical treatment:

It is always recommended to try out non-surgical methods first, but in severe cases surgery might be necessary. The goals and expected outcomes of the surgery include stability, pain relief, and functional restoration. The surgical procedure performed for this process is called spinal fusion. Firstly, spinal decompression is performed in which disc and bone are removed in order to reduce the pressure on the nerve. Then, in order to prevent any future slippage the affected vertebra are fused.

Functional activities can be resumed gradually. In most cases, pain is settled down after the recovery. It usually takes 4-8 months to fully fuse the bones.

Categories
Front page box Health Latest and Advanced Equipment Sciatica and key hole spine surgery Surgical Procedures

How can spondylolisthesis be diagnosed?

Spondylolisthesis is a condition resulting in a painful experience including low back pain and other symptoms as well. It can be very painful in some patients and quite bearable in others depending on the severity of the condition. The symptoms may aggravate if the nerves passing are pinched causing altered sensations in the affected part. Early diagnosis and proper treatment and precautions are key to leading a healthy life.

Methods that are considered when seeing a patient with Spondylolisthesis are described in this article by Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti who is well-known as the Best neurosurgeon in India.

The healthcare provider starts off the process by asking about the symptoms first. This correlation of the signs and symptoms gives an idea about the condition.

Further investigation is done through physical examination, in which several movements and special tests are performed on the affected area to differentiate it from other possible conditions.

Straight leg raise is performed while the patient is lying supine resulting in pain. At the lumbosacral region, a prominent Step off sign is seen indicating the slippage of the vertebra. Range of motion at the lumbosacral region i.e. flexion and extension are limited.

Several imaging tests are also advised to make sure of the condition.

X-rays of the lumbosacral region are done to see if the vertebra is displaced and how much is the displacement. Other than X-rays a CT scan or MRI may be advised to observe the spinal contents in more detail to see whether the nerves are compressed or not and how much damage has happened to the discs and the nerves.

Based on these investigations, the condition of the patient is usually categorized as Grade I or II determining less serious condition usually cured without any surgery, and Grade III or IV as high grade and more serious which can require surgery as the only treatment option. The healthcare provider makes a final diagnosis and starts the treatment as required.

Categories
Health Latest and Advanced Equipment Sciatica and key hole spine surgery

What symptoms does Spondylolisthesis cause?

Due to any congenital or degenerative cause, one of the vertebrae slips out of its position onto the one that is beneath it. This causes increased pressure on the lower vertebra resulting in pain and functional limitations. It can also affect the spinal nerves passing through the area involved by compressing them. The severity of the condition depends on the cause and the region.

In order to understand Spondylolisthesis in detail, India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti has explained various symptoms that may result from this condition.

The symptoms usually caused by Spondylolisthesis are as follows:

1.Low back pain:

The most common symptom seen is low back pain. The patient may experience pain when the affected segment is touched or when extension is done at that region. Flexion can be a relieving factor.

2. Muscle tightness and instability:

The spine is the stability center of the body. When there is any malalignment of a segment, it causes problems in the related areas too. All the muscles in the region are connected with each other. When the lumbar spine is affected, along with the lumbar area it will also cause muscle tension and tightness in the buttock area and in one or both the legs. Hamstrings tightness is very common in this condition, resulting in trouble in walking or standing. Pain may usually increase with activity.

3. Altered sensations:

Due to excessive pressure exerted on the nerve fibers, there can be sensations altered in one or both legs resulting in numbness or tingling sensation.

4. Bowel or bladder incontinence:

In severe and rare cases, if the displacement is extreme and the nerves controlling bowel and bladder functioning are pinched, it may result in incontinence or even loss of control.

Sometimes, the symptoms are not as severe so the patients don’t take it seriously. But in both cases, professional consultation and evaluation must be done in order to avoid any damage in the future.

Categories
Health Latest and Advanced Equipment Surgical Procedures

What are the types of Spondylolisthesis?

Spondylolisthesis can be a serious condition depending on its type and cause. The slipping of the vertebra on the other one can cause serious complications. The severity of the condition and the treatment plan can only be determined by the early diagnosis and by identifying the actual cause and type. In some cases, it can be treated without surgery but surgical intervention is required too in various cases.

Here in this article, India’s best neurosurgeon Dr. Kalyan Bommakanti has explained various types of Spondylolisthesis for a better understanding of the condition.

Spondylolisthesis can be classified into various types depending on its etiology described as follows:

1.Congenital Spondylolisthesis:

    Congenital refers to something that is present by birth. In this condition, the spine of the baby is premature i.e. not formed properly in the womb resulting in a misaligned and unstable spinal structure. This will lead to the slipping of the vertebra in the future.

    2.Degenerative Spondylolisthesis:

    Aging is the most common type of this. Degenerative causes occur with time, causing a decrease in the water content of the vertebral discs. This thinning leads to a higher chance of slipping of the vertebra.

    3.Isthmic Spondylolisthesis:

    Spondylosis is also a common cause of this. The stress fracture of pars interarticularis results in instability of the vertebra hence leading to slipping of it. The type of Spondylolisthesis caused by Spondylosis is called isthmic Spondylolisthesis. Its cause is not exactly known but may be due to excessive stress put on the spine during sports etc.

    4.Pathological Spondylolisthesis:

    It is caused by any pathological condition in the body such as a bone disease.

    5.Traumatic Spondylolisthesis:

    This is caused by any injury or trauma.

    6.Post-surgical Spondylolisthesis:

    During spinal surgery, the vertebra slips out resulting in post-surgical Spondylolisthesis.  

    Categories
    Latest and Advanced Equipment

    HD Endoscope- Spinal

    HD Endoscope- Spinal

    The spinal cord is the most essential organ in the body. It is with the help of the spine that one can sit, walk and stand up. The spine should always be healthy but sometimes it might get afflicted with ailments like back pain and spinal damage. In such a scenario it becomes necessary for the person to undergo surgery. Today technology has made it possible to have safe and secure spine surgery.

    Traditional spine surgery is painful and recovery time is very long. But this is no longer the case. HD Endoscope is the most common form of spine surgeries. This is the least invasive form of surgery

    HD Endoscope is high definition enabled surgery. In this, a high definition camera is inserted in the spine. This helps give the view of the full spine and its problem areas. One can diagnose several problems like sciatica pain and spine damage. The image is viewed by the surgeon on the screen. This helps in performing the surgery more accurately. The HD camera is inserted through a small hole. It is the most used technique to find bone ailments like back and spine pain

    Its benefits:

    Today most spine surgeons vouch for this technology. A blend of technology and surgery has transformed the field of surgery.

    Some of its benefits are:

    1. No General anaesthesia.

    In traditional surgeries, general anaesthesia was a common process. But this is not the case in HD Endoscope based spine surgery. One can go for local anaesthesia. It has been made possible as the spine surgeon views the area on which surgery is to be performed accurately. So, it only affects that and not the overall spine.

    2. No blood loss.

    It is common to assume that there will be a huge blood loss. In this new surgery, there is a very little blood loss. The cut is very small so the blood loss is very little.

    3. No scarring.

    Scars were common in traditional surgery. It is not the case with HD Endoscope- spine surgery. As the cut is small the chance of scarring decreases.

    4. Preserves spine health.

    It also preserves spine health. There is no side effect of this surgery. The spine would maintain the same agility and motion after this surgery.

    5. Quick recovery

    In traditional surgeries, it takes longer to recover. In HD endoscope surgery, the recovery will take only a few days. A person can go back to resume normal work after this surgery in a few days

    The technology used in HD Endoscope is still young. But it has proven its effectiveness and success in spine surgery. Most hospitals today use this technique to do spine surgeries.

    SURGICAL PROCEDURES

    LATEST AND ADVANCED EQUIPMENT

    DR KALYAN BOMMAKANTI

    NeuroSurgeon & Spine Surgeon

    Categories
    Latest and Advanced Equipment

    HD Endoscope- Cranial.

    HD Endoscope- Cranial.

    There have been many surgical techniques employed by Brain surgeons to heal brain ailments. The technology has advanced tremendously and it has also transformed the Brain surgery. The brain is the most complicated anatomical regions of the body. The cranial is an important part of the Brain. A cranial is located under the brain. This is the most important tool in dealing with skull-based brain surgery. Most surgeons today use the latest methods to heal common ailments like a Brain tumour. The HD Endoscope for cranial is the most advanced technique. This will work on most brain ailments.

    In HD Endoscope, a small camera is inserted in the brain. This transmits the image of the brain on the surgeon’s computer. This is the variant of minimum invasive technology. It gives the complete HD video imaging with a full picture of the cranial. This can work on both working and non-working channels. There are micro-instruments in the HD Endoscope allows surgeons to view the Tumour accurately.

    This works well if one has to know the precise location of the tumour. This makes it a revolutionary invention in the field of brain surgeries.

    Its benefits:

    There are many benefits of HD Endoscope. In earlier times it was hard to surgery which such accuracy as there were no means to view it the brain’s structure. This is possible with HD Endoscope.

    It is very good at removing various endoscopic processes which were not possible earlier.

    1. It is good at removing tumours present in the base of the brain. It removes intraventricular cyst or tumour with accurate precision. This guarantees the success of tumour completely.

    2. The base of the skull is hard to study without the help of equipment. An HD endoscope helps in making transnasal access to the pituitary gland and skull base.

    3. At the same time, it acts as a guide in performing high-risk interventions. A surgeon can view the image of a brain on the screen. This in-turn helps in performing the operations on the high-risk areas like a skull.

    4. This also boosts the overall safety of neurological surgeries. They are more precise and successful.

    5. It also helps in reducing the complications associated with brain surgery.

    6. It also boosts the recovery rate in such surgeries.

    It is no wonder then that this has become the newest standard for surgery. The most hospitals would go for HD Endoscope based surgery. These have made brain surgeries very safe.

    SURGICAL PROCEDURES

    LATEST AND ADVANCED EQUIPMENT

    DR KALYAN BOMMAKANTI

    NeuroSurgeon & Spine Surgeon

    Click for scheduling an appointment