Lucknow:Doctors at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) have developed a patented device that could improve the safety of a complex spinal surgery performed on children born with a rare congenital condition known as Split Cord Malformation Type-1.
The device, named Spine Drilling Safety Device, has been designed to assist surgeons while removing a small bony spur inside the spinal canal, a procedure considered highly delicate because of its proximity to the spinal cord.
Split Cord Malformation Type-1 is a birth defect in which the spinal cord is partially divided by a bony structure. As a child grows, the bony spur can exert pressure on or tether the spinal cord, potentially leading to neurological complications.
Surgical removal of the spur is often required to prevent further damage.
According to experts, the procedure carries inherent risks because surgical drills used to remove the bone operate very close to sensitive nerve tissue. Accidental contact between the drill and the spinal cord, or heat generated during drilling, can pose a threat to patient safety.
The newly developed device is designed to minimise these risks by reducing heat transmission to the spinal cord and lowering the chances of inadvertent contact between the drill and delicate neural structures.
The innovation was conceived and patented by Prof Ved Prakash Maurya of the neurosurgery department at SGPGIMS. The device has been granted a patent by Indian Patent Office.
