Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI) recently organised an Instructional Course in Spine (ICS 2014) -“The Ageing Spine” in collaboration with AO Spine International in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The Spine Society Delhi Chapter organised the course on behalf of ASSI.
“Spinal problems are quite common in geriatric patients because of degenerative and other ageing changes. The good news is that such problems can be managed conservatively without any surgery,” said Dr Sajan Hegde, President-ASSI, Consultant Spine Surgeon and Head, Department of Orthopaedics, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai.
“Surgical management for geriatric population, where required, becomes challenging, not only due to the co-morbid factors which increase the incidence of complications of anaesthesia and immobilisation, but also due to osteoporosis which makes the fixation challenging,” said Dr HS Chhabra, Secretary, ASSI and Medical Director, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.
ASSI feels that most of these age related spinal problems can be managed with proper care if the geriatric community is well aware of the early symptoms which could alert them to seek timely medical attention.
“The geriatric community should be aware of the early signs and symptoms of geriatric spinal ailments so that they could seek medical attention well in time. They should especially understand the red-flags which include night pain, difficulty in bowel and bladder control, progressive weight loss/ weekness in legs and arms should alert them to seek immediate medical attention,” said Dr Saumyajit Basu, Jt Secretary ASSI and Sr Consultant Spine Surgery, Park Clinic, Kolkata.
