The University Medical Centre of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Medical City, affiliate of the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), witnessed a first-of-its-kind operation in the Kingdom when 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 during which a small incision measuring 5cm was made in the patient’s back to remove a spinal disc herniation which was putting pressure on his nerves. The patient had suffered from severe back pain extending to his left leg and severely restricting his movement. The operation was necessary to allow the patient to resume his normal functions and avoid the side effects of immobility 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.
He explained: “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.”
