District Hospital Performs First Neurosurgery

In a significant move to enhance district-level healthcare, Syama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital conducted its inaugural neurosurgery on Thursday, barely a month after the department's establishment in early July. The complex spinal procedure was performed on a 37-year-old man experiencing severe neurological compression due to spinal tuberculosis. This advancement is expected to bolster the capabilities of district hospitals in managing intricate medical cases.

The surgery provided advanced treatment for Vinay Tiwari, a resident of Siddharthnagar, who had been suffering from debilitating back pain for approximately 1.5 years. Doctors confirmed tuberculosis in his L3 vertebra, which was causing significant neural compression and leg muscle weakness. A delay in treatment could have led to irreversible paralysis. The procedure, lasting nearly two hours, involved spinal fixation using titanium screws and rods.

Civil Hospital director Dr. GP Gupta highlighted this first spinal surgery as the commencement of expanded neurosurgical services, with plans to include brain tumor and head injury surgeries. The hospital is equipped with an ICU and ventilators and is collaborating with Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) for specialized support and patient transfers. This initiative aims to provide advanced neurosurgical care closer to patients, thereby alleviating pressure on tertiary institutions like KGMU, RMLIMS, and SGPGIMS, and making such treatments more affordable.