First of its kind operation saves 80-year-old

Manama : The University Medical Centre of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Medical City, an affiliate of the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), witnessed a first-of-its-kind operation in  Bahrain. 

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Yousif Sharaf performed spinal surgery on an 80-year-old Bahraini patient suffering from several health disorders, using local anaesthesia.

The operation, which went well, took half an hour, said Dr Yousif Sharaf, during which a small incision measuring 5 cm was made in the patient’s back to remove the spinal disc herniation putting pressure on his nerves. 

The patient had suffered from severe back pain extending to his left leg, with the inability to move or walk. This necessitated the operation, in order to avoid side effects that prevent the patient from moving or performing his daily functions, which at this age may lead to chest infections or clots in the foot or leg.

Dr Sharaf pointed out that the patient was suffering from chest problems including asthma and lung inefficiency, which put his life at risk in the event of general anaesthesia.

“Based on the assessment of the patient’s general health, it was necessary to carry out the operation with local anaesthesia, despite the difficulty of this measure, since the operation site is a sensitive area of the spine surrounded by nerves, requiring the patient’s complete relaxation.

“The operation went smoothly and the spinal disc herniation was removed from the third and fourth vertebrae. The patient began to gradually walk in under 24 hours after the end of the operation,” he explained.