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Out-of-state? Free MRI review + telehealth consult before you travel4.9 ★ · 630 Google reviewsBoard-certified — American Board of Orthopaedic SurgeryMinimally invasive, same-day spine surgery in Beverly HillsCall (424) 217-7463
Endoscopic Surgery Instead of a Fusion · Patient video shared by The Spine Pro
Added Length 1:41
About this video
An artist and sculptor with a genetic condition that affects the joints and bones herniated two discs while lifting, and part of a disc was pressing on the spinal cord. Dr. Melamed treated it endoscopically instead of with a fusion, which the patient says matters because fusions often do not take with this condition. They were walking the next day and describe the change in mobility as huge.
Patient experiences are individual. Individual results vary.
Transcribed from the video's audio, edited for punctuation, capitalization and paragraph breaks. Filler sounds such as "um" are left out, and clearly misheard names and medical terms are corrected. Words that could not be made out are marked [inaudible].
Read the full transcript
Okay, I have a rare genetic disease, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which affects my joints and bones, and I have been lifting a lot of heavy objects as I’m an artist and sculptor, and there is not a lot of treatment for my disease, so unfortunately I damaged my body enough till with one turn. I herniated two discs and then had part of the disc in my cord, which caused excruciating pain. And when I was told to go home from the hospital and call UCLA, they actually said they couldn’t take the case. I couldn’t take the pain.
I went back to Marina Del Rey Cedars and I was lucky enough to get Dr. Melamed and he, instead of having to do a fusion, was able to clean out the area and put it back together. And going from extreme excruciating pain to not being able to get out of bed or walk like a birth pain of the ten, to now I walk, I sit. The next day I was walking. I’m still a little sore. But in general it’s a hundred and fifty percent difference from when I came in and I’m just very grateful. Thank you much. And no narcotics were used? None. And do you know, can you tell us how the surgery was done, how minimally invasive it was done?
Yes, it was endoscopically versus a fusion, and the difference between a fusion and that, minimally invasive, is the difference in my disease of having mobility and not. Many fusions in my disease do not take. So the fact that it was done in this extraordinary way gave me back my mobility.
Dr. Melemed is truly the best! He genuinely cares about his patients, and it shows in every aspect of the care he provides. I recently had an outpatient procedure, and I cannot say enough about how impressed I was with the surgery center. …
Dr. Melamed is an exceptional physician. I initially came to him for my spine concerns, but he took the time to look at the bigger picture, truly listen, and help me find the right resources and specialists for a separate, complex medical condition outside his specialty. …
I was incapacitated, couldn’t stand, sit or walk. The pain was excruciating. I’ll spare you the diagnosis, but it was serious. I could only lie down with my foot up to reduce the pain. It required EMERGENCY surgery. …
I had a great experience at The Spine Pro with Dr. Hooman Melamed. From the moment I arrived, the staff (Paty, Sarah and Nelly) were welcoming, professional, and attentive. Everyone took the time to answer my questions and made me feel comfortable throughout the entire process. …
I want to thank Dr. Melamed for taking great care of me. Dr. Melamed performed a minimally invasive microdiscectomy to free nerve that was being pinched and causing pain in my back and in my leg. Dr. Melamed’s approach is a very conservative, which I very much appreciate. …
