Single-incision spine procedure at SIMS Hospital restores mobility in octogenarian in Chennai

An 84-year-old man with severe spinal compression and a cardiac pacemaker has regained mobility after undergoing a minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgery at SIMS Hospital in Chennai.

According to the hospital, the patient had multi-level lumbar spinal stenosis and degenerative scoliosis, a spinal deformity that had compressed the nerves in the lower back. Instead of performing a conventional open spine surgery with deformity correction using pedicle screws and rods, the surgical team opted for a full-endoscopic uniportal decompression through an 8 mm incision.

The procedure was carried out by a team led by G. Venkatesh Kumar and Vignesh Jayabalan, senior consultants in orthopaedics, along with a cardiologist.

The doctors said the surgery was technically challenging because the patient’s severe spinal deformity had altered the normal anatomy of the spine, narrowing the spaces around the nerves. Besides, the patient had previously undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery and had a permanent cardiac pacemaker, increasing the surgical and anaesthetic risks.

The patient had severe pain in the leg and could walk only a few steps before surgery. Following the endoscopic decompression, the nerve compression was relieved, allowing the patient to be mobilised without pain shortly after the procedure.

The endoscopic approach minimised damage to muscles and surrounding tissues, resulting in negligible blood loss, less postoperative pain, and faster recovery while preserving the spine’s normal anatomy.

Vijay C. Bose, joint director and senior consultant, Department of Orthopaedics, said the case highlighted the benefits of specialised spine surgery in managing complex degenerative conditions.

Ravi Pachamuthu, chairman of SIMS Hospital, said the hospital would continue to invest in advanced technologies and multidisciplinary care for complex orthopaedic procedures.