Baltimore, Maryland. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Doctors told an 88-year-old man he was too old for back surgery and would be in severe pain for the rest of his life. Now, he’s defying the odds and offering hope to elderly care.
Larry Craver, 88, always loved helping his family.
Mary Craver, Larry’s wife, says: It’s just very energetic. ”
But as he got older, that energy turned into debilitating back pain.
Larry says: “When I’m in so much pain, I can’t think. I certainly can’t help others.”
It was so bad that I couldn’t bear to walk. Doctors said the 88-year-old was too old for surgery.
Mary says: No doctor thought you would survive the surgery. He was in severe pain and told me he didn’t want to live anymore, which was really hard to hear. ”
And finally…a break. One neurosurgeon was willing to take the patient’s age into account.
“We were able to meet him, and he was by no means a frail 88-year-old man,” said Timothy J. Chryssikos, MD, PhD, a University Neurosurgeon at Maryland Medical Center. Masu.
X-rays showed she had scoliosis, a cyst in her spine. A condition called spondylolisthesis – a condition in which the vertebrae slip out of place.
“We wondered if these were not the main contributing factors to his symptoms,” Dr. Chrysikos said.
So he opted for standard decompression using a surgical microscope rather than the riskier open surgery for spinal fusion.
“Essentially the goal of our surgery was to remove the bones and ligaments in the back that were contributing to severe compression of the nerve roots,” explains Dr. Chrysikos.
After six months, Craver not only walked without pain; He is doing push-ups on the dresser in his bedroom.
Mary says: “He did something he hadn’t been able to do for years. He got a new chance at life.”
Open surgery, like the one doctors performed on Larry Craver, requires a slightly larger incision than minimally invasive surgery, but is considered less painful and has a faster recovery time than spinal fusion. This is because this technique typically requires smaller incisions that are less damaging to the surrounding muscles. Larry is already working towards a new goal: swimming…he and his family planned a beach trip for his birthday with lots of snorkeling.
Contributors to this news report include: Shernay Williams, producer. Editor Chuck Benetham and videographer Daylan Jones.
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