|
Spine operation removes fused artery and vein
AFTER a fall that paralysed him four months ago, Russian businessman Vasily Nesterenko can now walk again - thanks to surgery performed in Singapore.
A rare disorder in the blood vessels of his spine caused the 36-year-old father of two to become paralysed from the waist down and lose control of his bladder and bowels.
"I just received his e-mail. He broke the good news to me that he could walk again," said his neurosurgeon, Dr Timothy Lee, yesterday.
The damage caused by the fall was eventually diagnosed as spinal dural arterio venous fistula.
A fistula is an abnormal connection of the artery and the vein.
Dr Lee, who is at Gleneagles Medical Centre, said a spinal fistula is a progressively disabling neurologic condition that can be cured.
Mr Nesterenko underwent various tests in Russia but his doctors there thought he had an incurable spinal tumour.
Speaking through a translator, he told The Straits Times that the "situation had made me depressed as I thought I could no longer hunt or fish, which I love to do regularly".
Instead, aware of Singapore's medical expertise and facilities through friends who had been here for treatment, he flew in with his wife early last month.
Mr Nesterenko went through a battery of tests, including MRI scans of his whole spine and brain, to rule out cancer.
"The initial scans showed a vague problem at the lower spine. Using the new and more detailed MRI scan, we were then able to detect the fistula,"Dr Lee said.
Dr Francis Hui, who heads the department of neuroradiology at the National Neuroscience Institute, carried out the spinal angiogram, where dye is injected into the blood vessels, outlining them for the X-rays to be taken.
"We detected a tiny 2mm fistula in his lower spine. This resulted in the swelling of the vein, causing pressure on the nerves," Dr Hui said.
A four-hour open-spine operation was then carried out the same evening of the tests to remove the fused artery and vein.
About a week after the operation, Mr Nesterenko's legs had improved movement and he regained bladder and bowel control.
With physiotherapy, he was able to stand.
Like Mr Nesterenko, Russians are seeking treatment here in increasing numbers.
Although there is no overall figure for the number of Russians seeking medical treatment in Singapore, Raffles Medical Group, which runs Raffles Hospital, has reportedly seen an upward trend since 2005.
Parkway Group Healthcare's medical referral offices in Russia have also generated greater awareness of the group's specialist services.
Last year, Singapore saw more than 400,000 medical tourists - an increase of 26,000 over 2006's figures.
Singapore also woos patients from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.
|
