Spinal Extramedullary Tumor Resection Treatment in India

Aditya Johnson, a 42-year-old software engineer...

Aditya Johnson, a 42-year-old software engineer and father of two, had always been active. Over the past year, he began experiencing a persistent, burning pain in his mid-back that radiated around his ribs. It was initially dismissed as a muscle strain from his home workouts. However, the pain became relentless, and he started noticing a creeping numbness and weakness in his legs, making it difficult to play soccer with his kids. After months of physiotherapy with no improvement, an MRI revealed a well-defined, walnut-sized meningioma, a benign spinal extramedullary tumor, compressing his thoracic spinal cord. His neurosurgeon, Dr. Lee, explained that while the tumor was not cancerous, its location was dangerous. "It's like a pebble in your shoe," she said, "but this pebble is pressing on the main cable running your legs and torso. We need to remove it before it causes permanent damage." Terrified of spinal surgery but more afraid of losing his mobility, Aditya agreed. The 5-hour microsurgical resection was successful. Waking up, his first conscious thought was to wiggle his toes, a wave of relief washed over him when he could. The post-operative pain was significant, but manageable with medication. After a week in the hospital and three months of dedicated physical therapy, the radiating pain was gone. The leg weakness improved dramatically, and he regained full sensation. Emotionally, Aditya journeyed from frustration and fear, worrying he'd be a burden to his family, to profound gratitude. He now volunteers to speak with other pre-surgical patients, sharing his story to offer hope.