A team of experts from Medicover Hospitals treated a rare deformity _ Ankylosing Spondylitis _ to help a patient stand in a straight posture after 15 years! This rare type of arthritis, also known as Marie – Strumpell spondylitis, causes stiffness in the spine leading to acute pain the lower back, and the damage subsequently spreads to other parts of the human body. As a result of which the patient would not be able to stand straight.

The 32-year-old patient, Faraz, who hails from Baroda city in Gujarat State first experienced stiffness in his spine around two decades back and remained in a resulting curved/bending/deformed posture for past 15 years. The patient failed to receive right treatment or advice about a possible cure for years, until one of his family friends recently suggested to visit Medicover Hospitals at Hyderabad.

Commenting on the ailment and sharing details of the surgery performed, Dr. Surya Prakash Rao Voleti, Consultant Spine Surgeon, Medicover Hospitals said, “Ankylosing Spondylitis crippled Faraz to a great extent, which even had an adverse impact on his personal hygiene too! There was a risk of the condition getting further aggravated with time possibly causing crack in the spine which could result into a permanent deformity or paralysis. After conducting all necessary medical assessments, the patient was taken in for deformity correction. His spine bones were fused and stiff, which was a big challenge for the anesthesiologist to put in the endotracheal tube and to position him in prone position on the operating table.”

“General anesthesia was given to the patient using video laryngoscope to sedate; and proper care had to be taken at every instance to ensure the vital organs were not under extreme stress in prone position, during the surgery. And after a long eight-hour procedure, the deformity was rectified completely and the patient returned to normal spine alignment, which also resulted in the patient’s height increasing by four inches,” added Dr. Surya Prakash Rao.

The patient, who underwent surgery on November 12th, was discharged from hospital on November 25th, after post-surgery observation and recovery. Faraz will now be able to lead a normal life without facing much societal condemnation. Medicover Hospitals is fast emerging into one of the best healthcare facilities in the country where highly critical health conditions are successfully treated.