Singapore doctors develop new spinal surgery technique that reduces pain, improves mobility

Patients, such as seniors with osteoporosis and need surgery to replace their degenerated and damaged cervical discs, can now undergo the procedure. This has become the norm in the new spine unit at Alexandra Hospital in Queenstown.

Unlike the conventional method of spinal fusion, this technique involves a combination of soft tissue releases and accurate placement of implants, while aiming to reduce pressure, so that the stiff spines are more mobile at the affected segment.

FUNCTION FIRST

Dr Dennis Hey, director of Alexandra Hospital’s new motion-preserving and minimally invasive spine unit, explained that immobilising the affected segment and stopping it from pressing on the nerves is something that has been done for almost 20 years.

What they are doing differently apart from freeing the nerves is to insert an artificial spinal disc, which improves a patient’s mobility and helps them move more freely afterwards.

“This artificial disc replaces the function of the normal disc allowing movement, so the movement of the spine becomes normal (and) natural. The advantage is that it prevents stress within the spine, and causing … failure of the adjacent segments of the spine,” said Dr Hey, who is also a senior consultant spine surgeon at the National University Hospital.

“So the stress doesn’t get translated to the next level because it is fully dissipated in the entire spine, therefore giving the patient not just movement, but also a lesser chance of accelerated degeneration.”