Innovative surgical technology ends patient's pain
Local medical experts in Shanghai have announced the successful use of self-developed surgical technology to carry out minimally-invasive surgery on a woman who had endured two years of pain due to thoracic vertebra fractures.
The 48-year unidentified woman had a 20-year history of akylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory disease that can cause some of the spinal bones, called vertebrae, to fuse, which makes the spine less flexible and can result in a hunched posture. If ribs are affected, it can be difficult to breathe deeply.
She had serious cough due to a respiratory infection at the end of 2022 and then suffered chest pain, which failed to clear even after the respiration infection was cured. She went to several hospitals and was told it was the onset of her ankylosing spondylitis.
She endured pain for two years before the cause was found after a check confirmed two fractures in her thoracic vertebra. The fractures were likely caused by her strong coughing.
The female patient recovered well after a minimally-invasive surgery using innovative technology developed by local doctors at the Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital.
After diagnosis, she faced a new hard choice on surgery, which was challenging, risky and entailed making a 30-centimeter cut and came with huge risks and large blood loss. For patients with her condition, the surgery could be more complicated, with uncertain outcomes.
Following her friends' recommendations, she visited Dr He Shisheng of Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital and was told that doctors can conduct minimally invasive surgery by using an innovative tool developed based on their own experiences and demand during clinical practice.
"We developed a V-shape bichannel spinal endoscopy instrument, the world's first such tool allowing doctors to carry out more complicated operations and improve patients' safety and reduce surgical trauma," He said.
"Compared with the traditional surgical approach, it imposes smaller trauma, causes less blood loss and fewer infections and has more positive short-term and long-term effects."
Thanks to the innovative tool, the patient had surgery with only several one-centimeter cuts on her body and less than 100 milliliters of blood loss.
She was able to walk on the third day after the surgery and was discharged a week later.
The patient was able to walk on the third day after the surgery.
