Social awareness week for Scoliosis observed
ALIGARH : The Department of Neurosurgery, J.N. Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University organized an awareness programme under social awareness week for Scoliosis in order to educate people regarding the delicacies involving the surgery of spinal curvature. The patients operated for Scoliosis in the last 2 years were also felicitated during the programme.
Addressing the programme, Prof. Raman M. Sharma, Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery said that Scoliosis is the disease of an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine, which can lead to severe physical and emotional distress if left untreated. The condition often requires intricate surgical intervention, particularly in severe cases where the spinal curvature poses significant health risks.
He said that there are a few centres in India where such a surgery is done. There is a long waiting period and the disease progresses with long duration making its treatment more complicated.
Prof Sharma said that under the Scoliosis surgery programme started five years ago, more than 100 cases of spinal deformities have already been successfully treated in the department.
Prof. M. F. Huda said that this surgery is very costly and the surgery facility is provided in JNMC at an affordable price to the downtrodden patients.
Dr. M. Tabish Khan said Scoliosis surgery is a complex procedure requiring precision and expertise due to the spinal curvature’s intricacies. Surgeons need to focus on correcting the misalignment while minimizing the risks to nerves and vital structures. He said that postoperative care is critical, involving pain management, physical therapy, and monitoring for complications such as infection or hardware failure.
Dr. Ahmed Ansari said that the awareness program can help the patients in early detection of the complication, especially in young people, and timely treatment can prevent the progression of the curvature and reduce the need for more invasive procedures in later life.
Dr. Hammad Usmani, Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology, Dr. Obaid Siddiqui, Dr Altaf Rehman Haider and Dr. Atif said that Neuroanesthesia is crucial in Scoliosis surgery for managing pain and ensuring patient stability. It involves specialized techniques to monitor and protect spinal cord function during the operation, reducing the risk of neurological damage.
Prof. Veena Maheshwari, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, and Principal and CMS, JNMC lauded the efforts in organizing the awareness programme.