Age No Bar for Major Neuro Surgery – Octogenarian Speaks Again After Four Years!

Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road, performed a successful Microvascular Decompression (MVD) surgery, restoring speech in an 85-year-old patient after four years and relieving symptoms of facial pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia. This surgery stands as a testimony to the surgical excellence at the Institute of Brain and Spine and is yet another example of the advancements in surgery techniques and anaesthesia to ensure safe and fast recovery in an elderly patient.

Mr Veerasamy, 85 years old, was suffering from shock-like pains on the left side of the face for more than four years. The pain progressively increased in intensity and frequency, to the extent he was unable to talk, eat or even brush his teeth and shave. A normally outgoing personality, this made him depressed and changed him so much that he stopped talking, stopped going out and stopped interacting with everyone, including his family. Medications did not work and even some medical procedures he underwent gave him only temporary relief. A chance conversation between his son-in-law and Dr Krish Sridhar gave the family a glimmer of hope.

Mr Veerasamy consulted Dr Krish Sridhar, Senior Neurosurgeon and Group Mentor, Neurosciences, at Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road.

“On listening to the symptoms described by Mr Veerasamy, it was obvious that he needed surgery for his condition – trigeminal neuralgia. The only issue was, considering his age, whether he was medically fit to undergo the surgery,” said Dr Krish Sridhar.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition where the patient experiences excruciating pain on the face. It is typically caused by a blood vessel lying in close contact with the trigeminal nerve that transmits sensation from the face to the brain. Due of the constant pulsation of the vessel on the nerve, the latter gets irritated and any sensation is then perceived as pain. If medicines do not work, MVD surgery is the cure.

Dr Krish Sridhar, who has immense experience performing this surgery, said, “MVD surgery is a low-risk surgery which does not destroy any normal structure of the brain. Through surgery, we simply move the offending (albeit normal) vessel away from the nerve.”

Mr Veerasamy underwent the surgery and on waking up from anaesthesia, he was completely free of facial pain. In his words: “I have got a rebirth – I can talk freely, I can eat normally and I can brush my teeth again!” His family is happy that they can hear him speak once again after nearly four years.

Age is not a contraindication for surgery, especially when the patient is suffering from severe pain. Considering the advancements in anaesthesia and modern surgical technologies available, if a patient is medically fit for anaesthesia, the MVD surgery is the best option for a long-term cure for trigeminal neuralgia.

Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road, is a leading healthcare institution offering advanced treatments and surgical interventions in neurology, cardiology, women and child wellness, gastroenterology, orthopaedics, joint reconstruction, urology, nephrology and other specialities. With a dedicated team of experts and state-of-the-art medical facilities including 50+ critical care beds, 20+ NICU beds, 7+ operation theatres, an advanced Cath lab, cutting-edge neuro diagnostic equipment like 3T MRI and 4K + 3D neuro microscope, transplant facilities and 24/7 dialysis unit, it provides world-class medical care to patients from around the globe.