Spine Surgery

Over the last 25 years, the Spine Surgery unit of Ganga has provided comprehensive services in alleviating the pain and improving the functional ability of patients. The unit is one of the largest tertiary care referral centres in India and so far, more than 12000 spine surgeries have been performed.

The unit is headed by Prof S Rajasekaran, and comprises of two Consultants Dr Ajoy Prasad Shetty and Dr Rishi M Kanna. The clinical team includes eleven Spine Fellows, ably supported by three physician assistants and spinal physiotherapists to provide specialised care to all patients with spinal pathologies.

Clinical Expertise

On the clinical side, the unit aims to provide safe spine surgery through expertise and experience. Bolstered by periodic technological advancements, the unit currently has one Intra-operative computer navigation system, two 3D navigation image intensifiers, intraoperative spinal cord monitoring systems and advanced cell saver technology, the only centre in the country to have all under one roof.

SAFE SPINE SURGERY – A REALITY

1. Ganga hospital is the first unit in the Asia Pacific region to install the BrainLab CT AIRO navigation services for computer aided spine surgery. This ensures safety and precision.
2. Intra-operative neuromonitoring enables performance of complex spinal cord surgery without risking injury to the spinal cord.
3. Cell Saver machines enable long and complex surgeries maintaining patients' safety.
4. The availability of the latest spinal implants allow safety and precision in surgery.
5. High resolution 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner, Siemens Symphony CT scanner and digital radiographs provide the best imaging support to accurately diagnose diseases.

Research and Spine Surgery

The unit is well known internationally for its path breaking research works in the field of disc biology. It has been the proud recipient of many international awards such as

International

• ISSLS Basic Science Best Paper award 2021
• North American Spine Society Outstanding Research Award for 2019
• North American Spine Society Outstanding Research Award for 2020
• North American Spine Society Outstanding Research Award for 2021
• Asia Pacific Spine Society Best Clinical Research Award for 2019
• Asia Pacific Spine Journal Award for Best Clinical Paper for 2019
• Asia Pacific Spine Society Basic Science Research Award for 2019
• Asia Pacific Spine Journal Award for Best Basic Science Paper for 2019
• ISSLS Prize for Spine Research for the year 2017
• ISSLS Prize for Spine Research for the year 2013
• ISSLS Prize for Spine Research for the year 2010
• ISSLS Prize for Spine Research for the year 2004
• ‘EuroSpine Open Paper Award’ for 2008 for his research demonstrating that Disc Nutrition in spine can be modified by Calcium channel Blockers.
• Macnab LaRocca Research Award of ISSLS in 2005
• Sofamer Danek Award for the best Scientific presentation internationally by the International Society for the Study of Lumbar Spine thrice for the years 1996.
• Sofamer Danek Award for the best Scientific presentation internationally by the International Society for the Study of Lumbar Spine thrice for the years 2002.
• Sofamer Danek Award for the best Scientific presentation internationally by the International Society for the Study of Lumbar Spine thrice for the years 2006.

The unit has also more than 200 journal publications in spine surgery and many chapters in international textbooks.