Spinal cord stimulation system implanted on patient

A spinal cord stimulation system was implanted on a patient at the Department of Neurosurgery in Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), on Saturday.
The patient, a NIMS staff member, suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident two and a half years ago. After the accident, neurosurgeons performed surgery to fuse the fractured spine using rods and screws. However, the patient remained paralysed and wheelchair-bound despite physiotherapy.
The surgery was successfully performed by Prof Suchanda Bhattacharjee, Dr Ramnadha Reddy, and their team, along with the anesthesia team led by Prof Sreelatha, Dr. Swapna, and Dr Avinash. They believed that the spinal stimulator would help reduce pain, improve muscle function, and aid in mobility rehabilitation.
Although the device is expensive, this procedure marks a significant milestone for the department. Spinal cord stimulation can provide pain relief for conditions like chronic pain, failed surgeries, and cancer-related pain.
For the first time in a government hospital in Telangana, this rare and complex surgery was successfully completed. NIMS Director Prof. Nagari Bhirappa and senior doctors congratulated the team.