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Back pain or sciatica? Find out if you really need spine surgery
Not all spine problems need surgery, and many get better without an operation. When surgery is needed, Dr Imran Salim Malik can help, with a special interest in smaller-cut spine surgery.
Operations at Omar Hospital & Cardiac Centre, Johar Town.
Do you need an operation?
Dr Malik examines your back and legs and goes through your MRI with you first, then advises the right step.
What Dr Malik may advise first
- Physiotherapy and exercises for your back
- The right pain medicines
- Advice on staying active and avoiding strain
When he may advise surgery
- These have not helped enough
- A badly squeezed nerve, for example a leg getting weak
- An unstable spine fracture, or an emergency
Told you need spine surgery, or not sure? WhatsApp your MRI report for a second opinion. Dr Malik will examine you before advising on surgery.
Treatments Dr Malik offers
He uses smaller-cut methods where they suit the patient. How much each one helps, and how fast you recover, varies.
When a slipped disc presses on a nerve, the piece pressing on it is removed. A narrowed spinal canal is treated with a similar operation that makes room for the nerves.
For some spine injuries, and when spine bones need to be joined (fusion). Keeps the spine straight and stable while it heals.
The spine is fixed through smaller cuts, which aims to limit damage to the back muscles. Patients are often up and walking early.
Most sciatica gets better without an operation. If the leg pain does not settle, surgery to free the squeezed nerve may be considered.
For a spine bone collapsed from weak bones or an injury: a small balloon, then bone cement to make it stable. He also treats the weak bones.
What happens at your first visit
You can take time to talk it over with your family before deciding anything.
- Removing part of a slipped disc: desk work often within 4 to 6 weeks
- Fusion (screws and rods): desk work after about 6 weeks; physical work often 3 to 6 months
Dr Malik gives you a plan for your own job and recovery.
Stop smoking and all tobacco, including naswar. It slows bone and wound healing.
He listens and examines
Dr Malik listens to your story and examines your back and legs.
He goes through your MRI
He looks at your MRI and other reports with you.
He explains every option
Including non-surgical ones, and the risks of each.
Cost before you decide
If surgery is advised, he explains the likely cost before you decide.
Your questions answered
Can spine surgery cause paralysis?
This is the most common fear. Serious nerve injury is rare. Before any decision, Dr Malik explains your own risk and how the team keeps it low, and what to expect if you wait instead.
How safe is spine surgery?
It is a well-established treatment when it is really needed. Like all surgery, it has risks: infection, bleeding, blood clots, nerve injury, symptoms that do not go away, and sometimes the need for another operation. Dr Malik weighs these against the likely benefit with you.
How well does it work?
It depends on the operation and the reason for it. When a slipped disc is pressing on a nerve, most people get good relief from their leg pain. When the problem is back pain alone, with no clear cause, results are less certain.
How long does fusion surgery take?
About three to four hours, under general anaesthesia (fully asleep). It depends on your condition and how complex the operation is.
How much does it cost?
We tell you the consultation fee on WhatsApp before you book, so there are no surprises. A follow-up visit within 5 days of your first consultation is free to go through your reports and scans.
The cost of surgery depends on the operation, the implant, the room and the nights in hospital. It is explained to you before you decide.
How do I choose a spine surgeon?
Look for things you can check: PMDC registration and a qualification in orthopaedic surgery or neurosurgery, regular experience with the operation you need, a hospital with proper scans, theatre and after-surgery care, and a surgeon who explains the other options, the risks and the cost before you decide.
Already told you need an operation? A second opinion is your right. Ask us on WhatsApp.
Book a consultation
WhatsApp or call +92 300 4890692. Urdu or English, whichever you prefer.
What to send us
- The patient’s name and age
- The problem, in a line or two
- A photo of any X-ray or MRI