Up and about, and pain-free

By REBECCA WALSH

A spinal operation for people with chronic back pain which restores them to normal movement has been performed for the first time in New Zealand.

The surgery involves replacing a damaged or diseased disc with a prosthesis instead of fusing the vertebrae.

Auckland Hospital orthopaedic surgeon Alastair Hadlow said people who had the spinal fusion operation later suffered from stiffening of the spine, which reduced movement and put stress on other parts of their back.

The new technique, known as intervertebral disc replacement, involved inserting a metal and plastic disc.

It allowed normal movement of the spine and patients generally recovered within six weeks rather than the six- to nine-month recovery period taken after spinal fusion.

An American gymnast who had the surgery in Australia was performing backward flips on a trampoline six weeks later.

Dr Hadlow, who performed the surgery on Devonport man Vijay Suchdev last week, said the operation had been carried out in Europe and Australia for several years.

New Zealand surgeons had waited to ensure the results were as good as those using the existing technique.

"It's not for everyone. It's for physiologically young people who have a tear in one of their discs, which is painful.

"It's not for people with severely arthritic spines.

"From the patient's perspective it's a better operation ... Rehabilitation is much quicker and it deals with the problem, not altering the biomechanics of the spine."

He said between 10 and 30 per cent of the population suffered from chronic back pain, and he hoped the operation would eventually be performed on about 200 people a year.

Like many people with chronic back pain, Mr Suchdev had to quit his job as a chef.

He could not lift or play with his two children, had trouble sleeping and often could not get out of bed.

The 32-year-old, who has been on a sickness benefit for two years, is looking forward to going home and being able to start work again.

He hopes to open a restaurant with his family.

"Within the Indian community it's not cool to be 32 and have major problems," he said. "That's caused a bit of stress."

Dr Hadlow said it was not known how long the prosthesis would last.

It was possible patients who had the disc replacement would later have the spinal fusion operation.