Summary
A patient from Bluff City, Tennessee had been suffering from neck pain and right arm symptoms for over 20 years following a prior ACDF cervical fusion with a metal plate. Developing adjacent segment disease in the discs above and below the fusion. Forced to lie down each day after lunch due to severe pain and unable to turn her head to the right without excruciating symptoms shooting down her right arm, she had lived a severely limited life for decades. After extensive research she found Dr. Deukmedjian and traveled to Deuk Spine Institute, where he performed the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® on both adjacent discs and the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® for facet joint pain. All through tiny four-millimeter incisions, confirmed by discogram. Within 12 to 24 hours, all pain was gone, arm strength was fully restored, and she described the experience as the greatest blessing of her life.
Transcript
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: We have a patient here at Deuk Spine Institute who just had surgery yesterday. And if you are tuned in online watching our live surgery broadcast, you saw her get two discs fixed in her neck. She’s had a prior fusion done with an ACDF and a metal plate. So we fixed the disc above the fusion and below the fusion. She had adjacent segment disease. And how long were you suffering with neck pain and right arm symptoms before you came to Deuk Spine to get it fixed yesterday?
Patient: Over 20 years.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Over 20 years. And you had the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® done. You can see we had to make two incisions on the front of your neck. How do you feel after the surgery you had yesterday?
Patient: Awesome. Never felt… I’ve not felt like this… I couldn’t tell you how many years I’ve not been able to actually have a normal life due to the pain hurting so bad, having to lie down during pretty much after lunchtime.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Do you still have that pain right now?
Patient: No, sir. It’s gone.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Gone. Yes. Your neck is still a little stiff and you’ve got to get used to that, but you did have the fusion, which always causes neck stiffness and we can’t fix that. But the pain we can fix. So the pain you had before is gone?
Patient: Yes, sir.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You happy?
Patient: Very, very happy. That’s an understatement.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Now, you have a funny accent because you come from Bluff City, Tennessee isn’t that right?
Patient: Yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: All right. And why did you travel to Florida to have your surgery done?
Patient: A lot of research. And then I found you. Thank God. Greatest blessing that I’ve ever had. Best doctor I’ve ever been to in my life. Thank you. I can’t really put into words how I feel. It’s beyond… it’s the greatest blessing ever. It truly is.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Well, I’m glad you’re doing well. I know your husband is here. He’s been very supportive. He was here throughout the surgery yesterday. And you can actually see in the video footage that we made two tiny little four-millimeter cuts in the front of your neck. Then went down through the neck not damaging anything inside. Getting to the herniations where the tears were. And actually you could see the tears on the discogram that I did, and they were big. And we were able to get in there and clean out all the herniations with the laser. We didn’t have to do fusion anymore. We didn’t make your neck any worse than it came here with. And the nice thing about the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® is it’s a stabilizing procedure. Getting rid of pain and neurological compromise. I checked you today. You came to us with weak arms, and now you have normal strength in your arms, just 12 to 24 hours after your surgery.
Patient: Yes. And I hadn’t had that in so many years. So many years.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: All right. Well, is there anything else you want to say to your fans out there… anybody?
Patient: Like I said. He’s the best doctor I’ve ever been to in my life. He actually cares. First doctor I’ve ever had in my life to hug me and ask me how I’m doing and compliment you on your nails.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: He loves my nails.
Patient: He loves my nails! I highly recommend him. Like I said. Very well worth everything. He truly does care. And the team here is awesome. The nursing staff, everybody was tremendously. I can’t express enough how everybody was so good to me and just went out of their way to make sure that I had everything I needed, I was comfortable. It was just a very wonderful experience. It truly was. And I appreciate you sharing.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You also had the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy®. I just remembered because she had facet joint pain as well as the disc problem. And she was having pain turning her head to the right, weren’t you?
Patient: Oh yeah. I couldn’t. I was having extreme pain. I was turned when I turned to my right, it was going down into my right arm extremely bad.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And that’s gone?
Patient: Yes. Amen. And it’s gone permanently.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So I’m very happy for you. When are you heading back home?
Patient: Saturday morning.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: All right. Well, enjoy Florida for a few more days. You take care of yourself. You’ve got my phone number if you need anything.
Patient: Yes. All right. Thank you so very much.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You are more than welcome. It’s my pleasure to take care of you. Even with my funny accent. All right, let’s get you out of here. Go enjoy the beach or something.
Patient: Thank you.
Deuk Laser Disc Repair® at Deuk Spine Institute
This patient underwent three procedures at Deuk Spine Institute to treat adjacent segment disease. A common complication in which the discs above and below a prior spinal fusion break down under increased mechanical stress: the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® for both affected cervical discs, confirmed by intraoperative discogram, and the Deuk Plasma Rhizotomy® for cervical facet joint pain causing severe head rotation limitations and right arm symptoms. All procedures were performed through four-millimeter incisions in the front of the neck using laser endoscopy. With no new fusion hardware, no hospitalization, and no narcotic pain medication required. Within 12 to 24 hours, 20-plus years of chronic neck and arm pain was eliminated and full arm strength was restored. Unlike ACDF revision surgery that would have added more fusion hardware and further restricted mobility, the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® is a stabilizing procedure that eliminates pain and neurological compromise while preserving as much natural function as possible. Patients with adjacent segment disease or persistent symptoms following prior cervical fusion are encouraged to submit their MRI for a complimentary MRI review and virtual consultation with Dr. Deukmedjian at Deuk Spine Institute.