Summary
Pennsylvania patient injured his neck in an accident in January leaving Pennsylvania patient with herniated discs at C3-4 C5-6 and C6-7 that were crushing Pennsylvania patient’s cord and pinching nerves. Pennsylvania patient developed electrical-shock pain down both arms, neck pain, loss of strength, visible muscle atrophy, in Pennsylvania patient’s hands and balance problems. Local surgeons recommended traditional total disc replacement with a six-inch neck incision and a year of recovery, which was not an option because he cares for his wife, who has Parkinson’s disease. They also dismissed the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® as experimental. After a virtual Zoom MRI review with Dr. Deukmedjian, he traveled to Florida for surgery. The day after his procedure, his shocks, pain, weakness and balance problems were gone, he had full neck movement, and he had no screws, bolts or fusion.
Transcript
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: I’m here with a patient who traveled to Deuk Spine Institute from Pennsylvania. He had injured his spine in his neck. He had herniated discs, and his spinal cord was being crushed at C3-4, C5-6, C6-7. The nerves were being pinched. He was losing strength in his arms, getting atrophy, all related to an accident that happened in January. So he came to Deuk Spine Institute after doing a virtual consultation on Zoom with us, our MRI review, and here he is after surgery. And how are you doing today, sir?
Patient: Doing great. Better than ever.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Tell me about that. What kind of problems were you having before your surgery at Deuk Spine Institute?
Patient: I was having electrical shock, radiating pains. It started out as random, but then after a while it was constant, and it was going down both arms all the way down to my hands. And then I had neck pain constantly.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Can you show everyone the atrophy on the back of your hands there? See all the wasted muscles? They’re all gone. That’s from the spinal cord being pinched in his neck. So, we did your surgery yesterday. Do you still have those symptoms you had before surgery?
Patient: No, it’s all gone. Haven’t had any since surgery.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You woke up from surgery and your symptoms are gone.
Patient: Yeah, very happy.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So, besides the shocks, you had some weakness in your hands. Is your strength back today?
Patient: Better. Yes. It’s all good.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Were you having any balance problems before surgery?
Patient: Yes. No balance problems today.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: So, your balance problems are gone?
Patient: Yes.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Is there anything else you want to say to your fans out there?
Patient: If you have any issues with your neck or your back, this is the guy to see.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: Now, you did see some surgeons up home in Pennsylvania. What were they recommending?
Patient: They were recommending total disc replacement the traditional way, with a six-inch gash in my neck and a year recovery time. And my wife has Parkinson’s. So I really couldn’t do that, not being able to take care of myself or my wife.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: And what happened when you told those surgeons about the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® surgery?
Patient: They said that it was experimental, is not recommended, and totally didn’t believe in it at all.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: If those spine surgeons from Pennsylvania were sitting in front of you right now, what would you say to them?
Patient: I would be proof that it does work and show them that you do what you say you can do. I mean, I have full movement. I have nothing fused. No screws or bolts or anything. And that means a lot. I’m happy that it all turned out the way it did. And thank God for Dr. Deuk.
Dr. Ara Deukmedjian: You’re welcome, sir. Enjoy life.
Patient: Appreciate it.
Deuk Laser Disc Repair® at Deuk Spine Institute
This patient underwent the Deuk Laser Disc Repair® for the cervical spine at Deuk Spine Institute to treat herniated discs at C3-4, C5-6 and C6-7 that were compressing his spinal cord and nerves after an accident, causing arm shocks, hand muscle atrophy, weakness and balance problems. Instead of the total disc replacement recommended at home, which involves a large incision and a year of recovery, the laser repair was done through small incisions with no fusion, screws or hardware, preserving full neck motion. Symptoms resolved by the morning after the outpatient procedure. Patients told their cervical condition requires disc replacement or fusion can submit their MRI for a complimentary MRI review and virtual consultation with Dr. Deukmedjian.