Team of spinal surgeons to perform 10-hour surgery

A team of surgeons from the US, headed by Dr Oheneba Boachie-Adjei of the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, will undertake a ten-hour surgery on Tuesday on a patient suffering from spinal curvature and deformity at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The team, which will be supported by Dr Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Director of the Cardio Thoracic Centre is made up of both international and local surgeons.

They will also conduct a series of surgeries to correct different kinds of spinal and orthopaedic problems on some 20 patients, who are expected to pay between 10 and 20 million cedis.

Dr Boachie-Adjei disclosed to newsmen after presenting a paper on adult scoliosis at a seminar on spinal surgery and orthopaedics in Accra organised by the TRUST Hospital for health professionals.

He said there were two to three per cent of spinal cases worldwide most of which were hereditary, congenital, genetic and some resulting from trauma and infection.

Dr Boachie-Adjei told participants at the seminar that the cost of the surgery has been supplemented by the team, who are using tools and gadgets brought from outside, adding that surgery on the spine could cost up to 100,000 dollars in the US.

He mentioned back pains, difficulty in standing and difficulty in breathing as some of the signs of spinal problems.