Spinal Surgery

At the Knysna private hospital we perform elective as well as emergency spinal surgery. The procedures are performed by both Dr Verrier and Dr Reardon. All of the facilities which are necessary for such intricate surgery are available at the Knysna private hospital. The majority of procedures are performed on the lumbar spine for conditions such as intervertebral disc prolapse, spinal stenosis and spinal instability. We also perform procedures on the cervical spine, most commonly anterior decompressions with or without simultaneous instrumented fusion or prosthetic disc replacements. We adopt a very conservative approach to surgery on the spine, and operate only when there are unequivocal indications to do so and conservative treatment has failed.

One of the techniques which we employ for pain control is Percutaneous Radiofrequency Facet Joint Ablation. This is minimally invasive, and in selected patients provides excellent pain relief, thus avoiding open operations. The percutaneous IDET (intradiscal electrothermal therapy) procedure is also utilized for intractable proven discogenic pain.

We have all of the diagnostic facilities available to us for the accurate work-up and diagnosis of spinal pathology, including plain XRays, CT scanning, MRI scanning, Radio-isotope scanning, provocative discography, image guided facet blocks, nerve conduction studies and electromyographic studies.

Patients receive the most intensive care available, both from an anaesthetic and a nursing point of view. In all cases a general anaesthetic is carried out for the surgery. Patients are nursed in intensive care (ICU) following their operations until they are fit enough to be transferred back to a normal ward. Whilst in ICU they receive one-on-one nursing care and dedicated physiotherapists take care of their lung functions and extremities from very shortly after arriving back from the operating theatre. The physiotherapists continue working with the patients until their discharge from hospital.

Every precaution possible is taken to prevent complications such as deep vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolism. Our policy is the same as that for joint replacements, namely thrombo-elastic stockings, compression calf pumps, physiotherapy and enoxaprin administered daily to thin the blood slightly. Depending on the specific nature of the procedure, the total hospital stay varies from 3 days to 10 days. All patients are evaluated prior to surgery by Dr Verrier/Reardon and the anaesthetist (Dr vd Merwe/Welgemoed), and are cared for after surgery by the same team.

Depending on the specific nature of the procedure, the total hospital stay varies from 3 days to 10 days. All patients are evaluated prior to surgery by Dr Verrier/Reardon and the anaesthetist (Dr vd Merwe/Welgemoed), and are cared for after surgery by the same team.