A Unique Spinal Operation in the Baltics Performed at Ventspils Hospital
On 19 March this year, a unique spinal operation in the Baltics was performed at the Kurzeme Spinal Surgery Centre in Ventspils, part of SIA “Ziemeļkurzemes reģionālā slimnīca”. The tumour of the seventh cervical vertebra was completely removed, although it had grown around the left vertebral artery, which supplies blood to the brainstem and cerebellum.
The tumour was discovered incidentally while the patient was undergoing examinations of the blood vessels in her brain. The patient only began paying attention to moderate pain in the nape of her neck after a fracture of a cervical vertebra caused by the tumour was discovered. Without treatment, this young woman would most likely have suffered irreversible damage to the spinal cord at the cervical level. It is important to note that tumours of this type may have reduced sensitivity to radiation therapy, while removing only a small part of the tumour would not have been an acceptable solution, as it could quickly lead to a recurrence.
Given the tumour’s complex anatomical location and its close connection with the spinal cord, nerves and an artery that is critically important for the brain’s blood supply, it was necessary to seek a comprehensive solution that would allow the growth to be completely removed while also preventing instability of the cervical vertebrae and preserving all normal anatomical structures intact.
Such a solution was found by combining the knowledge and experience of Dr Jānis Osītis, head of the Kurzeme Spinal Surgery Centre, and Dr Raimonds Mikijanskis, a neurosurgeon at Pauls Stradiņš Clinical University Hospital. Thanks to this collaboration, the complex operation was highly successful. Dr Osītis explains that, essentially, the patient underwent three operations, which lasted a total of nine hours. The patient was discharged from hospital on the fifth postoperative day.
Dr Osītis, head of the Kurzeme Spinal Surgery Centre, emphasises that professional teamwork played a decisive role in the successful course of the operation, noting that, in his opinion, Dr Mikijanskis is the most capable neurosurgeon in Latvia. Following the operation, Dr Osītis and Dr Mikijanskis praised the professional work of anaesthesiologist Baiba Rauhvargere and operating-room nurse Sintija Brice, as well as the excellent pre- and postoperative care provided under the leadership of Aida Ķire.
It should be noted that, had the case been diagnosed late and allowed to progress, radical surgery would no longer have been possible. In view of the above, Dr Osītis acknowledges that the complicated operation, involving complete removal of the growth, was the only solution that could ensure the patient a full life.
The Kurzeme Spinal Surgery Centre has been actively treating oncological diseases since last year, while also following with satisfaction the achievements of other Latvian healthcare institutions in this field. One of the most notable recent examples is the Children’s Clinical University Hospital, which succeeded in performing a complex operation on the cervical spine of an adolescent, completely removing the tumour.
The patient has also openly shared her story and is currently recovering after successfully undergoing the operation. She says that she had experienced various health problems for several years. During one of the examinations, a tumour of the seventh cervical vertebra and a fracture of the vertebra caused by it were discovered. This was followed by consultations with several doctors and various diagnoses until, finally, the patient was referred to neurosurgeon Raimonds Mikijanskis, who assessed the specific case in detail, consulted with colleagues and proposed a solution.
Naturally, the risks are also very high in operations of such complexity, and the patient had doubts while preparing for surgery as to whether the right decision had been made; she even considered cancelling the operation. However, now that the successful operation is behind her, the patient thanks the specialists for their care and professionalism, while also expressing her appreciation to the rest of the Ventspils Hospital staff.
Since the beginning of 2019, when Ventspils Hospital began performing spinal operations, their number has doubled. In terms of the number of spinal surgery procedures, Ventspils Hospital ranks second in Latvia after the Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopaedics. Patients from all over Latvia travel to the Kurzeme Spinal Surgery Centre.
Less than a year ago, the first latest-generation Carl Zeiss Tivato 700 operating microscope for spinal surgery in the Baltics was unveiled at Ventspils Hospital, part of SIA “Ziemeļkurzemes reģionālā slimnīca”. With its innovative features, it increases productivity and quality while also significantly facilitating specialists’ work during operations. The microscope’s specifications ensure less tissue trauma and enable better results during the recovery period.
Ventspils Hospital is purposefully planning the development of spinal surgery procedures so that patients from Ventspils and throughout Latvia can continue to receive the highest level of healthcare at the Kurzeme Spinal Surgery Centre.
Photo: SIA "Ziemeļkurzemes reģionālā slimnīca"
Author:
ventspils.lv
