NewsDetail
A team of surgeons from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) has performed an advanced procedure for the first time in Qatar to correct the abnormal spinal curvature of a nine-year-old boy.
The young patient suffers from severe scoliosis, a condition where the spine twists and curves to the side. Caused by a genetic condition, scoliosis gradually weakens the muscles around the spine.
The surgical team was led by Dr. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, Consultant, Orthopedic Surgery, and included Dr. Alaa Zakout, Associate Consultant, Dr. Omar Al Noori and Dr. Nasser Khan, both Spine fellows. The team inserted state-of-the-art MAGEC growing rods along the child’s spine to correct the abnormal alignment. “The MAGEC rods provide a highly advanced treatment technology for correcting spinal deformities in pediatric patients,” explained Dr. Al Kuwari.
“The key benefit of using the MAGEC rods, rather than traditional growing rods, is that we can extend the length of the rods when required via remote control in a straightforward, pain-free process, without the need for further surgical procedures,” said Dr. Al Kuwari.
“Prior to this recent procedure, standard treatment plans would have involved inserting two small rods along the patient’s spine and numerous subsequent surgical procedures every six months to manually extend the rods to correct the spinal curvature. The introduction of MAGEC rods now eliminates the need for follow-up surgeries,” Dr. Al Kuwari stated.
The surgical procedure was performed in HMC’s new surgical services facility at Hamad General Hospital. Opened in 2016, the facility has significantly expanded HMC’s surgical services capacity and provides a bespoke complex in which expert surgical teams can treat patients using the most technologically advanced equipment.
One such technology used in the scoliosis surgical procedure was an advanced spinal navigation system available only in the new surgical facility. “The navigation system enables our surgeons to track the location of surgical instruments throughout a procedure more precisely than ever before. The system provides highly-advanced images of the areas surrounding the spine and offers a very detailed view of the nerves and tissues in relation to the instruments. The result of the navigation system is a safer and more precise surgical procedure,” explained Dr. Al Kuwari.
