Apollo Cancer Centre Performs India’s 1st Successful Spinal Dorsal Root
Ganglion Stimulation for Chronic Pain Relief Management
Brings life-changing relief to a 30-yr-ol d patient from Oman
Chennai, 20th November 2024 In a bre akthrough towards redefining pain ma nagement, a team of spine surgeons an d pain specialists at Apollo Cancer Cen tre (ACC), Chennai, performed Indias f irst Dorsal Root Ganglion stimulation s urgery using spinal cord stimulator, br inging life-changing relief to a 30-year-old patient from Oman. This innovativ e procedure opens new avenues for in dividuals suffering from chronic, ner ve-related pain when other treatments have failed. This marks a new chapter in pain management and showcases In dias advanced capabilities in healthca re innovation and treatment facilities.
The patient endured constant, debilita ting pain in his groin and upper thigh area for over two years after undergo ing surgery for a testicular tumour in Oman. After a thorough evaluation an d multidisciplinary team efforts, the p atient was found to have pain originat ing from a damaged nerve in the ingui nal region (area where the lower abdo minal wall meets the upper thigh). The genitofemoral nerve—a primarily sens ory nerve—supplies the upper thigh a nd emerges from the spine, passing th rough muscles to reach the inguinal re gion. During the surgery in this area, t he nerve was damaged, causing severe pain to the patient. It is known as geni tofemoral neuralgia.
Chronic pain, defined as pain lasting more than three to six months, is a co mmon condition that affects millions worldwide. (Link). According to the Gl obal Burden of Disease Study, chronic pain affects up to 20% of the global po pulation (Link). In India, chronic pain affects around 19% of adults (Link), si gnificantly impacting their quality of life and productivity. Cases of post-sur gical nerve pain, like in this instance, a re often difficult to treat with standard pain relief techniques, underscoring t he need for innovative solutions.
To alleviate the pain, the spine surgery and pain specialists team at ACC, build ing on their experience and innovatio n, developed an unprecedented appro ach, aiming to improve the g patients q uality of life. By implanting a spinal co rd stimulator to stimulate the dorsal r oot ganglion (DRG) in the patients spin n e, they were able to block pain sensa tuions originating from the damaged n erve. This first-of-its-kind unconventio nal procedure offers a viable treatmen t for patients whose pain originates fr om nerve damage and whose lives are severely impacted by chronic and unm anageable pain.
“After two years of agony and losing h ope, I can finally look forward to a life without pain,” said the patient (who chooses to remain anonymous), whose relief was immediate after the proced ure. My family and I had been struggli ng to find an answer, and it feels like a miracle to finally be free from the pai n. I can now start rebuilding my life, t hanks to the care and dedication of the doctors at Apollo Cancer Centre,” he a dded.
Dr. Appaji Krishnan, Senior Consulta nt – Spine Surgery along with Pain Spe cialist Dr Anand Murugesan, Apollo Ca ncer Centre, Chennai, said, Damage to genitofemoral nerve causing debilitat ing pain in the groin area can impact e ven the simplest of daily activities. Ha ving exhausted all conventional treat tment methods, we were determined t o find a solution that could provide la sting relief for our patient. By targetin ing the root of the nerve pain through DRG stimulation, we have provided a novel minimally invasive approach th at allows us to relieve the pain, impro ve mobility and enable patients can re turn to normalcy within a remarkably short span.
Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chai rperson, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd, said, This pioneering surgery und erscores Indias potential as a leader in medical innovation. Pain relief is fund damental to human well-being, yet sev eral patients with chronic pain world wide often endure years of ineffective treatments and lack effective options for neuropathic pain. With this achie vement, we are setting a precedent for our hospital and for healthcare across India and globally. It is a proud mome nt for all of us and a powerful message about Indias commitment to advancin g healthcare.
Ms. Suneeta Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd, sa id,At Apollo Hospitals, we are proud to lead the way in advanced spine care, c ontinually redefining benchmarks wi th pioneering innovations. As the first in Asia to introduce Spine Robot techn ology and over 500 successful robotic-assisted surgeries so far, weve revolu tionized minimally invasive procdures procedures for faster recovery. This m ilestone of performing Indias first suc cessful Spinal Dorsal Root Ganglion Sti mulation underscores our unwavering commitment to delivering transformat ive healthcare, restoring hope and enh ancing the quality of life for patients g lobally.
Unlike conventional treatments that m ay require regular medication, DRG sti mulation is a transformative approa c h that has the potential to offer more sustainable pain relief with minimal scarring and faster recovery. With the device implanted at the nerves origin, patients can often experience immedi ate relief and resume normal activiti es shortly after surgery, minimizing th e disruption to their lives. This procud ure represents a huge step forward for patients suffering from neuropathic p ain and opens doors to a new path in pain management across the country and beyond.
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About Apollo Cancer Centre – https://apollocancercentres.com/
THE CANCER CARE LEGACY
BREATHING HOPE INTO LIVES FOR OV ER 30 YEARS
Cancer care today means 360-degree c omprehensive care, which requires co mmitment, expertise, and an indomita ble spirit from cancer specialists.
Apollo Cancer Centre has a network ac ross India with over 390 oncologists to oversee the delivery of high-end precis ion Oncology Therapy. Our oncologists deliver world-class cancer care follow ing an organ-based practice under com petent Cancer Management Teams.
This helps us in delivering exemplary treatment to the patient in an environ nment that has consistently delivered an international standard of clinical o utcomes.
Today, people from 147 countries come to India for cancer treatment at Apollo Cancer Centres. With the first Pencil B eam Proton Therapy Centre in South za Asia & Middle East, Apollo Cancer C entre, has all that is needed to stren gt hen the battle against cancer.
