The miracle after 30 year living with ankylosing spondylitis

10/05/2021 14:13

After many years of looking for a cure everywhere, seeming hopeless and not able to move due to the ankylosing spondylitis, the miracle happened with a patient who had a long period of time living with this disease.

 

Patient’s sharing her experience of 30-year long-lasting disease

 

Ms. H.T.T.H. (45 years old) and her family passed a Tet holiday filled with happiness after 30 years fighting against disease. It has been 30 years since she had the ankylosing spondylitis of childhood, she could not move her hips or sit up but always had to lie down. All her living activities depended on others in her family.

 

Although looking for a cure in many major hospitals over last years, all medical treatment therapies seemed to be ineffective for her disease. While she was seeming out of hope, a miracle happened with her life after coming to be examined and indicated for a surgery at Viet Duc University Hospital

 

Trust in leading medical experts – Happiness at the end of the road

 

When coming for a consultation at Viet Duc University Hospital for being examined by a team of experienced doctors make Ms. H. feel safe and absolutely trust. It was Dr. NGO Ba Toan, PhD., MD., Deputy Head of General Surgery Department, Viet Duc University Hospital who directly examined, operated and cared for her.

 

 

Ms. H. shared that she suffered from the ankylosing spondylitis since she was a child, when coming to Viet Duc University Hospital, she had complications of spinal bones fusion and hip arthrodesis that made her be unable to sit or make any move. All her living activities were very difficult and required support from others.

 

Dr. Toan shared that Ms. H.’s operation was very complicated because both her hip joints were fused and deformed. Additionally, the permanently high level of inflammation condition in the blood might lead to slow healing of the wound and even postoperative infection. Facing to her condition, a multiple disciplinary team has consulted the patient carefully and a minimally invasive bilateral hip joint replacement was indicated with dual mobility hip prosthesis that had anti-dislocation, anti-abrasion.

 

 

Right after surgery, Ms. H.’s health was stable with good recovery by being instructed for early rehabilitation. One month after surgery, Ms. H. was able to walk normally and continued to be instructed the exercise to completely recover. Being able to walk and back to the normal life was the happiness that she couldn’t ever dream through her 30 years of fighting against disease. A miracle became reality with gentle but firm steps on the floor by her own foot. 

 

 

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic, long-lasting inflammation pathology characterized by pain and damage of sacroiliac joint, spine and joints of lower extremity. This disease makes several spinal vertebrae fusing together and swollen leading to hunchback, curl and disability. There is no curative treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. All therapies are to improve symptoms and to prevent the condition to be worse. Hip joint replacement surgery is indicated for patients with permanent pain, motility limitation and significant structural damage in X-ray images. Spinal surgery is indicated for spinal deformity.