Aging is natural biological process that can not be delayed, but some diseases can be “postponed” or even avoided with respect of life styles that are recommended by doctors.
Most common health concerns for our senior patients:
- high blood pressure
- cardiovascular diseases
- chronic diseases of respiratory system
- rheumatic diseases
- diseases of bone joint diseases
- diabetes
- malignant disease
- nervous system diseases
Serbia belongs to countries where population of elderly people (around 65 years of age) are above the number of younger ones.
Aging brings number of health problems and the health system is not “very fond” of the older population. We find elderly people most often in waiting rooms of Health Centers or in long waiting lists where they wait for necessary surgical treatment. Number of patients from day to day is increasing, our population is getting older, and health issues of older generation is generally with spine.
Doctor of Atlas General Hospital, Milenko Savić – neurosurgeon/spinal surgeon every day operates spinal fractures in elderly patient in local anesthesia. Patients on the same day can go home and return to their daily activities, without pain and everything is done minimally invasive and routinely, says dr Savić.
We speak about diseases that are most often seen in elderly patients, so these patients beside other diseases are susceptible to spine disorders. This is mainly related to female patients and spinal cord disease associated with osteoporosis. First of all, we have in mind spinal fractures that can occur even without some special trauma, without special loading. Softened bones are in most patients inevitability and it is process of aging, maturation.
Previously it was a huge problem because these patients are in advanced age, so they usually have other diseases that are obstacle for bigger and serious intervention.
Now we have techniques that enables spine fractures to be done in local anesthesia, so practically there are no diseases that are obstacles for such intervention. Spine operation is done minimally invasive, approach to the spine is done by one punch of a needle. in broken vertebrae. Through that needle it is injected small amount of bone cement in order to strengthen vertebra. Thus the problem of fracture is resolved and also pain that was the most dominant symptom.
In the same time we fortify entire spinal column so the patients can get up and walk only several hours after operation. After operation patients are returning to normal life activities.
Previously there was great fear of such interventions on spinal column when it comes to elderly patients and younger ones. Today intervention is done routinely, in local anesthesia and theoretically there is no contraindication nor there is possibility of complication.
Atlas General Hospital has 4 operating theaters that are equipped with up to date devices that you can find only in best European and American hospitals, and all surgeons that are working here have great benefits of it.
Such interventions are done not only in fractures that occur in osteoporotic patients but also in other fractures that occur for some pathological issues as inflammation, tumor or tumor metastasis on the spine, with fact that in these patients it is necessary that vertebrae should have contours conserved.
Every age of life has its own problems and difficulties, and so it is with old age. As people are getting older they are more prone to illnesses. We understand the needs of our patients of all ages and strive to maximally perform procedures that eliminate pain and, most importantly, which enable our elderly patients life with quality, mobility and activity.
Atlas General Hospital has CENTER FOR SPINAL DISORDERS , Center for the screening spine deformities in children and Center for surgery of spinal disorders within. In this centers many types of most complex spinal operations are performed in orthopedics, neurosurgery and spinal surgery: dr Milenko Savić, dr Slaviša Zagorac, dr Vojislav Basara. Our surgeons has on disposition cutting edge equipment and latest world trends and seminars they can attend. At Atlas General Hospital not seldom we have guests that are eminent world experts and together with our surgeons give opportunity of excellent treatment to all our patients, so they can have same opportunity as people in most eminent world clinics.
Conversation with our doctor Milenko Savić about spinal operation:
(dr Milenko Savić – neurosurgeon/spine surgeon, dr Slaviša Zagorac – orthopedic/spine surgeon, dr Vladan Milošević -anestesiologist, Sandra Dabić – scrub nurse, Ivana Pančić – scrub nurse, Nikola Šoškić – anestetic officer, Nikola Novaković – X ray technican, Milan Jovanović – medical technican)
