Summary
A patient who had suffered on-and-off lower back pain for about 30 years, including episodes that left her unable to move for a week at a time, had become so disabled since July that she could barely walk with a walker and had to step back from her active church life. Dr. Deukmedjian performed the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® on three herniated discs, using a laser to clean the annular tears and remove the herniated jelly holding them open. As his first surgical patient of 2023, she woke up the next morning able to walk without the awful morning pain for the first time in a long time, with only mild soreness from the surgery itself.
Transcript
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Here at the Deuk Spine Institute, I’m smiling because I’m sitting with my first surgical patient of 2023. I don’t know if you realize that, but you were the first one of this year.
Patient: Okay, the new year.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Now, you had the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® done on your lower back because you had three bad discs, and we did that yesterday.
Patient: Yesterday, yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And here you are one day later. How do you feel?
Patient: I feel good. The pain that I’ve been suffering for months is gone. My mail was a little bit sore, but that’s from the surgery itself. Otherwise I feel good.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You’ve had back pain on and off for 30 years. We were talking about that. Tell us about those episodes of back pain. What did they do to you?
Patient: The first one that I recall was pulling out a sofa bed. We had company and I was opening up the bed, and all of a sudden I just could not move. My husband had to practically carry me. I was out of work for a week or so, and then I went to the chiropractor and gradually got better, and I thought, well, that’s fine, and moved on. Then I had a couple other times like that. One time I was drying my hair, getting ready for work, with the blow dryer going, and all of a sudden I couldn’t move my arm down. It was that quick, and I was out again for another week, laying in the bed. Then I thought I was fine. But for many years, probably at least those 30, I had lower back pain where in the morning I couldn’t bend over to brush my teeth. That would really hurt.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Do you have that pain now?
Patient: No, I don’t think so. It’s gone. This morning was the first time in a long time I’ve gotten up first thing in the morning and been able to walk and not have that awful pain, because first thing in the morning was the toughest.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So happy for you. How is the surgery going to help you in your life?
Patient: Hopefully, once I can at least walk again. I was barely able to walk, even with a walker. I was very active in my church.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So you want to get active again.
Patient: Being in such pain since July, and this is the new year, I’m anxious to get back to my life.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Yes, of course. Well, you had three herniated discs in your lower back, and you can see in the footage where we went into each of those three discs. I used a laser to clean the tear in the back of each of those discs, called an annular tear. The jelly from the center was stuck in the tear, holding it open and allowing more herniations to come out. So I got rid of the jelly that was in there using the laser, cleaned out the tear, and now your body will be able to heal that for the first time in 30 years. So I don’t expect you to ever have that pain again.
Patient: Thank you.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You’re welcome.
Patient: I am so thankful.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Well, you had faith and you found us.
Patient: Yes, I did. I just kind of was led to you and it all went bing, bang, boom. I didn’t ask a whole lot of other people what they thought. I just did what I thought I needed to do.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Good for you. Is there anything you want to say to your fans out there?
Patient: I would recommend that if you do something to your back, you take care of it early on. Take care of it right away. The longer you wait, the harder it is and the longer it takes. It takes a toll on your life. Definitely it has taken a toll on mine since this summer, for sure. I have sometimes not been able to function at all, barely able to sit in a chair and be comfortable without squirming because I couldn’t find that exact place where I didn’t have pain.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: I don’t see you squirming anymore.
Patient: No, I’m not squirming.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: I know, that’s great. See, it’s here without pain. Congratulations.
Patient: Thanks to you.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: All right, have a blessed day.
Patient: Thank you. You do as well.
Deuk Laser Disc Repair® at Deuk Spine Institute
This patient underwent the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® at Deuk Spine Institute for three herniated lumbar discs that had caused about 30 years of recurring back pain and, since July, severe disability. Dr. Deukmedjian used a laser to clean the annular tear in each disc and remove the herniated material holding the tear open, so the disc can heal. She was walking without her usual morning pain the next day. Anyone with chronic back pain can submit their MRI for a complimentary MRI review and virtual consultation with Dr. Deukmedjian.