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HCMCT Manipal Hospitals, Delhi successfully treats a case of basilar intussusception

Published on September 5, 2021

New Delhi: HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka – a multi-specialty facility – successfully performed surgery on a 32-year-old male patient with basilar intussusception caused by a congenital abnormality (birth defect). The patient was presented to us with complaints of severe occipital headache and neck pain. He couldn’t walk properly either, and his grip was getting weaker and weaker. He was examined with a CT scan and an MRI, which turned out to be basilar intussusception. It is a condition in which the vertebrae migrate upward, causing the base of the skull to fold.

To realign and treat basilar intussusception, a technique called DCER (Distraction, Compression, Extension, and Reduction) was used. To increase the volume of the base of the skull, the process of compression and extraction was performed by removing the base of the skull and decompressing the spinal cord. A spacer / cage was inserted between the C1 and C2 joints (first and second sections) of the spine.

After the 2 hour operation, the patient was able to walk independently on the first day and the numbness and tension of the hand also improved. This case was considered very difficult and rare as any complication would have left the patient dependent on the ventilator and caused internal bleeding. The CT scan after 6 months after the operation showed a satisfactory decompression of the spinal cord and a correction of the basilar intussusception.

Basilar intussusception is a rare condition in which the top of the spine pushes into the base of the skull, pressing on the brain stem, which is the thick bundle of nerves that connects the brain to the spinal cord. This rare condition can cause an opening in the skull through which the spinal cord runs to the brain to close, and its prevalence in the general population is estimated to be 1%. This condition usually occurs at a later stage in the middle-aged population and can be the result of an injury or illness (in this case, congenital abnormalities). The symptoms of this condition can appear as common as neck pain, which are generally overlooked, leading to fatal consequences.

In addition, Dr. Saurabh Verma, HOD and spinal surgery consultant, “We are very pleased with the rapid recovery of the patient and he was discharged on the 3rd day after the operation. This case was extremely tricky and required an experienced hand and we were only able to save it because of the skill and skill that we have shown as a team. “

While we’re talking about the case Dr. Hamza Shaikh, Associate Consultant in Spine Surgery said, “We are pleased to have successfully given a new life to another patient. Congratulations to the team on successfully handling this rare case. With the right knowledge, know-how, technology and infrastructure, we can give way to medical breakthroughs. “