The national referral hospital is now ready to treat scoliosis, a condition where the spine is abnormally curved or twisted. A team led by a spine surgeon at the hospital successfully performed the first-ever spine corrective surgery on Friday. Previously, individuals with scoliosis were sent overseas for surgery, at a cost of Nu 1 M per patient. Currently, there are 15 patients diagnosed with scoliosis across the country.
Sonam Lhamo from Dagana now feels stronger and more confident.
She has a team of health professionals at the national referral hospital to be grateful for.
Spine surgeon Dr Letho and Dr Kuenzang Wangdi, with their team, performed corrective surgery on Sonam last week, relieving her of years of uneasiness from scoliosis.
Sonam has lived with a curved spine since she was 15 and relied on medication for the ailment.
Sonam Lhamo said, “I was unable to walk properly. While climbing stairs, I used to have a hard time breathing. Before, I used to feel weak and felt like I would lose consciousness.”
Following the surgery, Sonam’s height also increased by five centimetres as her spine was straightened.
This kind of corrective surgery was previously impossible within the country due to the lack of required equipment and trained human resources.
Dr Letho said, “So, till now we have been referring such patients outside, especially to Kolkata. But this year, we were able to procure the necessary medical equipment and also train the required human resources. Last year, we sent a group of technicians abroad to get trained in the treatment of such kinds of patients. So, now we are ready to start with the procedures.”
He added that 80 per cent of scoliosis conditions have no known cause. However, most of the scoliosis cases in the country are caused due to genetics, particularly among families with a history of getting married with their relatives.
Singye Dema
Edited by Phub Gyem
