Ahmedabad, Feb 24 (IANS) Seven children with severe spinal deformities underwent successful surgeries at the Government Spine Institute in Ahmedabad Civil Hospital during the second Indo-American Spine Surgery Camp.

The initiative, organised with support from the Gujarat government’s Health and Family Welfare Department, offered advanced treatment for conditions such as kyphoscoliosis, a rare disorder affecting one in 1,000 children globally.

Kyphoscoliosis is a serious condition in which the spine curves abnormally, often posing life-threatening risks and requiring complex corrective surgery.

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Doctors at the camp described the procedures as highly intricate, typically lasting four to five hours, involving delicate work around major nerves and blood vessels.

Continuous neuro-monitoring during surgery was critical, with any error potentially resulting in severe injury or paralysis. An American neuro-monitoring team, along with anaesthesia specialists, assisted to ensure patient safety.

Financially, such procedures cost between Rs five and 10 lakh in private hospitals, but all surgeries at the Government Spine Institute were provided free of charge.

Among the patients was a nine-year-old child who underwent a ‘growing rod surgery’, designed to straighten the spine while accommodating future growth.

The camp is expected to benefit children from Gujarat as well as other states, providing families with access to treatment that would otherwise be financially or technically out of reach.

The surgeries were led by Dr Piyush Mittal and Dr Prerak Yadav of the Spine Institute, with anaesthesia support from Dr Reema Vansola and Dr Kinjal Anand.

Visiting spine surgeons from the United States, including Dr Viral Jain, Dr Harshad Patel, Dr Karen Young, Dr Deval Carol and Dr Scott Cowan, contributed their expertise to the complex procedures.

Following the operations, State Health Minister Praful Panseriya commended the doctors for their humanitarian approach.

Dr Mittal emphasised the importance of strengthening Indo-American collaboration in healthcare, noting that "such partnerships not only make complex surgeries possible but also support educational exchange programmes for medical students and doctors".

The institute is closely monitoring post-operative rehabilitation for patients to ensure optimal recovery.

(NG/MSM)