The day started as usual. Our only patient was a 22-year-old male with a double major curve. The plan was T4 to L4 fusion and instrumentation with multiple level SPO’s. The case was uneventful. The team rounded on the patients one last time before they took off for the airport.
Here is an example of the type of cases that we were referring to Dr. Boachie. SM was a 9-year-old female who started complaining of one leg weakness about three months prior to presentation. The other leg stopped working soon before presentation. She was able to walk a little with a walker. On examination, she had bilateral leg weakness, left sided Babinski and sustained clonus. Most likely congenital posterior fusion T2-4 causing this dramatic spinal deformity. Her spine is so curved that on the AP view, which is when you’re looking at her face-to-face, you can see the upper thoracic vertebrae from the front and the top at the same time. Because of her recent neurological deficits, plan was for her to be sent to Ghana as soon as possible.
We thank God for giving us the opportunity and privilege of performing so many complex surgeries in such a short time and achieving such great results.
We thank Dr. Rick Hodes for allowing us to participate in the care of these complex spinal deformity patients.
We also thank Nuvasive for providing staff and instruments for this critically important work.
Looking forward to seeing everyone back in about 6 months.
Eleventh patient – S.Y., 22 y.o. M, 5/26/16 & Twelfth patient – S.M., 9 y.o. F
