Ms. Kieu, 70 years old, had a curvature of the spine to the right like the letter C. The doctor fixed 7 vertebrae with 16 screws to help her walk normally.
Ms. Kieu, residing in Quy Nhon, has had severe back pain spreading to her right leg over the past two years and has become increasingly serious, walking unsteadily, taking medication and physical therapy ineffectively. The results of a 3 Tesla MRI scan at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City showed that 7 of her spinal vertebrae were deformed, curved, and seriously degenerated.
MSc. Vu Duc Thang, Spine Department, Orthopedic Trauma Center, said that Ms. Kieu’s spine was completely curved to the right, and the injuries were compressing the cords and nerve roots, causing a lot of pain and changes in gait. “If not operated on, the patient has a high risk of losing mobility,” Dr. Thang said, adding that this is a difficult surgery because the patient is old, has osteoporosis and is at risk of cardiovascular disease.
MRI scan shows the patient’s spine curving like the letter C (left) and straightening after surgery. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
Ms. Kieu was hospitalized two days before surgery to stabilize her body parameters, check and prevent possible risks. Surgeons decompress the nerves and stiffen the spine with cement-filled hollow screws to avoid the risk of bone fractures. The C-Arm X-ray system is used throughout the surgery to help doctors manipulate the correct location of the injury, continuously monitor and evaluate, ensuring high accuracy and safety.
Hollow screws are hollow medical screws with small holes in the body. After being inserted into the vertebra, a amount of biological cement is injected into the screw and spills out through small holes in the screw body, firmly adheres to the vertebral body, stiffening the vertebral body. “The number of 16 screws used in a spine surgery is a lot,” said Dr. Thang.
After surgery, the patient’s spine shape is adjusted up to 90%, pain is significantly reduced, height is improved and walking is easier. 7 days after surgery, her health recovered well and she was discharged from the hospital. Ms. Kieu was prescribed physical therapy and continued osteoporosis treatment to improve musculoskeletal quality and speed up recovery.
Doctor Thang instructs patients to walk before leaving the hospital. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
Dr. Thang said aging is a common cause of bone and joint diseases in the elderly. The aging process causes bone quality to decrease over time, becoming brittle, porous and weaker. Therefore, the spine no longer has enough strength to bear the force, degenerates, and curves.
Ms. Kieu often lives in the wrong posture. For example, she often squats and sleeps in a hammock. These habits unintentionally increase pressure on the spine, promoting the disease to become more severe.
To prevent spinal degeneration and dangerous complications such as scoliosis, disc herniation, spinal spurs…, Dr. Thang recommends living with correct posture, light exercise, suitable for the spine. living. Check periodically or immediately when there are signs of unusual back or neck pain. People at high risk of osteoporosis, such as postmenopausal women, should increase calcium and vitamin D in the body through diet and periodically measure bone density.