Goa, Aug 5, – A woman in her early 30s recently arrived at the Emergency Department of Manipal Hospital following a motor vehicle accident that resulted in a burst fracture of the D6 vertebra in her spine. She was in excruciating pain and unable to move or get out of bed. Imaging via MRI and CT scans revealed an unstable fracture compressing her spinal cord. Given the severity, she was advised to undergo stabilization of the affected spinal segment using the Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Fixation technique (MISS), an advanced approach in contemporary spinal surgery.
This groundbreaking surgery, the first of its kind performed in Goa, was conducted at Manipal Hospital, Dona Paula, by a specialized team led by Dr. Sunny Kamat, Chief Spine Surgeon. Remarkably, the patient experienced complete pain relief post-surgery, regained her ability to walk independently by the second postoperative day, and was discharged within 72 hours.
MISS represents a revolutionary advancement in spinal surgery. It minimizes soft tissue damage and preserves the structural integrity of spinal segments, thereby achieving optimal surgical outcomes with minimal physiological disruption, unlike traditional open posterior spinal instrumentation surgery.
While posterior spinal instrumentation remains a cornerstone in treating various spinal disorders, the evolution of MISS has brought about a paradigm shift. The technique is now characterized by its reduced invasiveness, diminished postoperative pain, lower complication rates, and expedited recovery. These benefits are made possible through refined patient selection, thorough preoperative planning, meticulous perioperative care, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as advanced minimally invasive techniques and intraoperative imaging.
Since its adoption, MISS has consistently demonstrated superior clinical outcomes: fewer complications, significantly reduced blood loss during surgery, shorter hospital stays, quicker rehabilitation, and a notable reduction in the need for postoperative narcotics, particularly when compared to the traditional open approach, which is more disruptive to the surrounding musculature and ligaments of the spinal column.
About Manipal Hospitals
As a pioneer in healthcare, Manipal Hospitals is among the top healthcare providers with 70+ years of experience in India, serving over 7 million patients annually and 60 million patients so far. Its focus is to develop an affordable, high-quality healthcare framework through its multispecialty and tertiary care delivery spectrum and further extend it to out-of-hospital care. With the completion of the acquisition of Medica Synergie hospitals and AMRI Hospitals Limited (acquired in Sept 2023), the integrated network today has a Pan-India footprint of 38 hospitals across 19 cities with 10500+ Beds, a talented pool of 7200+ Doctors, and an employee strength of over 18,600.
Manipal Hospitals provide comprehensive curative and preventive care for many patients from around the globe. Manipal Hospitals is NABH and AAHRPP accredited, and most of the hospitals in its network are NABL, ER, and Blood Bank accredited and recognized for Nursing Excellence. Manipal Hospitals has also been recognized as the most respected and patient-recommended hospital in India through various consumer surveys.