Construction worker Kevin Munoz spent years climbing up and down ladders, hauling tools and equipment as he went. As a young, fit 35-year-old, the Methuen resident prided himself on staying active – taking Jiu-Jitsu classes and walking four days per week when his schedule allowed.
The only problem – a degenerative disc in his lower back slowly went from nagging back pain to a 24/7 debilitating quality of life issue.
“Nurses and doctors would always tell me, ‘Everyone has back pain,’ but this was different,” said Munoz, who underwent several years of trigger-point therapy, physical therapy and radiofrequency ablation with little to no long-term relief.
Munoz had sought the advice of a previous surgeon who suggested he undergo a spinal fusion to relieve his pain – a proposal he was vehemently against. “I’m not a doctor, but I work in construction, and I knew putting load bearing weight in a place where it’s not supposed to go isn’t going to fix the problem,” he said of the surgical technique that joins two or more bones in the spine together, eliminating movement between them.
His breaking point came when an extended period of simple walking left him in agony, Munoz said. “Sometimes I’d twist my body the wrong way and it would be like a light switch cutting off the nerve to my legs and I’d fall,” he explained, adding that his specific trouble was in his L-5, S-1 disc of his lower back.
Enter Merrimack Health orthopedic surgeon Krishn Khanna, MD, a minimally invasive orthopedic surgery specialist who was willing to take on Munoz’s case and his unique concerns about surgery and perform a highly advanced lumbar disc replacement procedure at Lawrence Hospital.
“Kevin’s problems were isolated to one disc. He had a lot of back pain – pain radiating down the legs – and felt a chronic feeling of instability,” Khanna said, adding that Munoz was deemed a perfect candidate for the surgery because he was otherwise in good health and was young enough to tolerate the procedure and recovery.
According to Munoz, the surgery has “changed (my) life” and has eliminated his back pain almost entirely.
According to Khanna, patients are only eligible for this type of surgery if their spinal issues are isolated and meet a specific set of criteria, as Munoz had.
“When you have pain like this, speak to your primary doctor and trial a course of physical therapy. Eighty percent of the time, that heals the problem,” said Khanna, now one of few area surgeons who performs lumbar disc replacements. “If things aren’t headed in the right direction and the pain is associated with back pain or pain down the legs, then it’s time to see a spine expert.”
Merrimack Health’s orthopedic back and spine specialists are among the few in the area trained in the highly specialized procedure.
The day-surgery lumbar disc replacement procedure involves the insertion of a flexible implant that restores motion at the site of a degenerated disc. Rather than insert the implant through Munoz’s back, Khanna used an innovative technique with the aid of Merrimack Health surgeons Syed Abbas, MD, and Kaitlan Ahrens, MD, to access the site via abdominal tissue.
“We have the expertise, coupled with the technology, to be able to do a lot in a short amount of time and do it proficiently,” Khanna said of the procedure.
The benefits of a lumbar disc replacement procedure over others include preserving motion of the spine, directly addressing the source of pain and faster recovery time.
For Munoz, three years of searching for medical advancements like his new implant led him to Merrimack Health.
“I won the golden ticket with Dr. Khanna. This surgery has made a life changing difference,” said Munoz, adding that he’s looking forward to hiking and backpacking the mountains when he’s fully recovered. “This surgery opens up my life again. I’m so grateful to everyone involved in the process.”
For information on orthopedic back and spine care, call Mobility Bone & Joint Institute at 978-794-1946.