Percutaneous screw surgery to treat spinal trauma performed in Nghe An

Advanced method of treating spinal trauma

Recently, patient Bui Ngoc Tan (42 years old) in Cat Van commune, Thanh Chuong, was hospitalized in a state of pain, limited mobility of the lumbar spine, and inability to walk due to an accident of falling from a height.

Through clinical examination combined with modern imaging diagnostic methods, doctors diagnosed Mr. Tan with spinal injury, unstable L1 vertebrae collapse.

After consultation, doctors from the Department of Neurosurgery - Spine, Trauma - Orthopedics Hospital decided to perform spinal fixation surgery for the patient using the percutaneous screw method.

The Orthopedic Trauma Hospital is the first unit in the province to successfully deploy this advanced technical method in the treatment of spinal injuries. Photo: PV

After 1 hour and 30 minutes of surgery, the team of doctors and surgeons successfully operated on the patient. After only nearly 48 hours, Mr. Tan was able to walk normally, no longer in pain, with a small cosmetic incision and a quick recovery.

Image of percutaneous spinal screw placement under C-ARM guidance.

Master, Doctor Tran Van Bien - Head of the Department of Neurosurgery - Spine, who directly performed the surgery on the patient, said that in the past, in cases of trauma and spinal fractures, the spine had to be fixed by open surgery. The patient had to undergo a normal surgery for 2-3 hours, causing a lot of blood loss due to the incision being 15-20 cm long, breaking the anatomical structure of the back (muscles, spinal ligament system, vertebrae, etc.). The patient had a lot of pain after surgery, high risk of infection; recovery time after surgery was long. After surgery, the back pain persisted. In addition, open surgery created a large, unsightly scar, and the patient often had back pain and pain in the surgical area every time the weather changed.

Compared with the old method, the percutaneous screw technique for spinal fixation has many advantages: Firm fixation of the spine, small incision (only small holes of 1.5 cm are enough for the screw to pass through), does not break the anatomical structure of the back (muscles, bones, ligament system), does not cause pain, fast surgery time (about 1.5 hours). Patients recover quickly after surgery (can be discharged after 3-5 days, compared to 7-10 days, when operated by the old method) and does not affect health.

Open surgery to treat spinal trauma (left photo), percutaneous screw technique to fix the spine (right photo).

The technique was first successfully applied in Nghe An.

To successfully perform the percutaneous spinal screw fixation technique, it requires a surgeon with high expertise and technique, and a system of standard, modern equipment. Currently, doctors of the Department of Neurosurgery - Spine, Nghe An Trauma - Orthopedic Hospital have successfully performed surgery, mastering the percutaneous screw fixation technique under the positioning and guidance of the 3D C-ARM machine for many patients with spinal injuries.

Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital is the first unit in the province to successfully deploy this advanced technical method in the treatment of spinal injuries and put the technique into routine application at the Hospital.

Patient Bui Ngoc Tan recovered quickly after surgery. Photo: D.N

Post-operative image.

Spinal cord injury is a common accident caused by falling from heights, traffic accidents, etc., causing the spine to be bent. If not treated promptly and properly, it can lead to paralysis, limitation, and loss of labor capacity, etc.

Currently, Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital has applied the method of routine percutaneous spinal screw fixation in the treatment of spinal trauma. Combining this method, it is possible to perform minimally invasive interbody fusion surgery for herniated discs, scoliosis surgery, etc. With the application of new and effective techniques, the hospital has become a reliable address for people in the area and neighboring areas.

Dinh Nguyet