New op puts power back in powerlifter
POWERLIFTER Colt Ishan says he cried tears of relief this week when he took his first steps after undergoing a new form of spinal surgery on the Gold Coast.
Suffering from multiple disc herniations, known to the layman as bulging discs, the 30-year-old had been unable to sit, sleep or walk without being in debilitating pain for more than a year.
But Mr Ishan now says he has his life back.
The keyhole operation, by Gold Coast Private specialist Dr Lee Yang, is the only one of its kind in the city.
With the help of specialised equipment, neurosurgeon Dr Yang has been able to undertake the operation – known to halve recovery time – as an alternative to open spine surgery.
“I had been powerlifting since I was young but over the past few years my back had been causing me pain,” Mr Ishan said.
“Last year it got to the point where I was in pain all the time. I couldn’t lift. I couldn’t even do coaching.
“They say it only happens to about 5 per cent of people and the MRI showed how much damage was there. I was at the point of no return to get it done.”
A keyhole discectomy is primarily used to treat a prolapsed disc, which is often triggered by heavy lifting or twisting.
The discectomy is performed through a small incision, allowing the surgeon to insert a tiny 1.8cm dilator on to the spinal bone.
A microscope is used to provide light and magnify the affected area 49 times. The surgeon decompresses surrounding nerves and trims the bulging disc.
The procedure takes about two hours and, without insurance, could cost up to $20,000.
Mr Ishan said if the new treatment had not been available on the Gold Coast he had considered travelling to the US to have it done.
“I can now look forward to doing quite a lot now. I had the surgery Monday and was walking Tuesday,’’ he said.
“I actually broke down a bit. I was so taken aback by how there was no pain after it had been there for so long.”
Dr Yang said since the surgery was introduced on the Gold Coast last year, there had been a 95 per cent success rate. “Patients I have treated at Gold Coast Private have been up and walking immediately after the surgery and were able to head home from hospital after two days. Usually with open spine surgery, a patient faces up to five days in hospital and usually requires painkillers,” he said.
Instead, the keyhole method causes minimal damage to surrounding muscle and less pain post-surgery.
“When we first began the surgery on the Gold Coast we had one person every few weeks. Now I am doing it weekly on sometimes up to three patients,” he said.
“Keyhole spine surgery is an appealing option as it can significantly reduce pain after surgery. We have seen selffunded patients travel from overseas for the surgery.”
Dr Yang said surgery was a last resort treatment option if conservative methods such as physiotherapy, medication and injections, proved to be ineffective.