Robotic Spine Surgery Makes Travel and Leisure Pain-Free Again
December 26, 2024
For more than two decades, Tom Berry, an active 55-year-old from Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, battled chronic back and leg pain. What began as a dull ache escalated to a severe condition that affected his quality of life. Despite treatments like pain management, physical therapy and injections, his pain persisted.
“After years of sitting at a desk or in a car for hours, the leg pain, like sciatica, started becoming unbearable,” says Tom, a small business owner, husband and father of two daughters. “I have to travel internationally for work, and sitting on a plane for that long was nearly impossible.”
After non-surgical treatments failed, Tom reluctantly chose to explore surgical options. When two acquaintances recommended Ramil Bhatnagar, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Tom immediately booked an appointment.
Robotically Correcting Pain at the Root
Dr. Bhatnagar told Tom that a combination of scoliosis and spinal stenosis was compressing his nerves and causing extreme pain.
“He wasn’t able to do the things he liked to do, like play pickleball or exercise,” says Dr. Bhatnagar. “He had deformities in his back causing severe nerve compression, and his scoliosis was starting to tilt him more. It was really affecting his quality of life.”
Dr. Bhatnagar suggested a minimally invasive, robotic spine surgery to free Tom’s compressed nerves and stabilize his spine.
In May, Dr. Bhatnagar removed the “roof” of Tom’s spinal tunnel to decompress his nerves and inserted screws and rods to correct and stabilize the scoliosis. Dr. Bhatnagar used the new Globus Excelsius 3D and Excelsius GPS robot to improve precision throughout the more-than-six-hour surgery.
“Using robotic guidance allows us to correct the deformity while minimizing the risk of nerve damage,” Dr. Bhatnagar says.
With the technology, Dr. Bhatnagar could place the screws with pinpoint accuracy, offering the best chance to straighten Tom’s spine and relieve the pain. Additionally, it minimized radiation exposure for both Tom and the surgical team.
Overcoming the ‘Last Hurdle’
Following the surgery, Tom noticed immediate improvements. “The nerve pain was gone. I was no longer dealing with that shooting pain down my leg,” he says.
The recovery process was challenging. Tom says he felt “weak as a baby” after surgery. But with the help of physical therapy, he was walking and moving again within a few weeks.
Within six weeks of his surgery, Tom was back to his regular walking routine and begging Dr. Bhatnagar to let him return to the gym. After only four months, he returned to the pickleball court to partake in his favorite activity.
“My wife and I play with a group, and they’re really, really good,” Tom says. “Getting back to pickleball was my last hurdle, and I made it.”
While he hasn’t flown internationally since his surgery, Tom has made an eight-hour trip to North Carolina with his daughter without any pain.
“I’ve also flown domestically and didn’t need to embarrass myself fidgeting or doing all these crazy stretches in the airport security line,” he says. “The whole experience with Dr. Bhatnagar and his team was incredible.”
As Tom looks forward to retirement in a few years, he’s confident he’ll enjoy it pain-free. “I still get to exercise every day, walk and work on my tan. I’m not going to be in pain anymore,” he says.
Next Steps & Resources
- Meet our source: Ramil Bhatnagar, M.D.
- To make an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.
- Learn more about orthopedics at Hackensack Meridian Health.
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
