Fortis Escorts Hospital Amritsar Successfully Treats 60 Year Old Woman with Complex Spinal Fracture Using Minimally Invasive Surgery

Fortis Escorts Hospital Amritsar Successfully Treats 60-Year-Old Woman with Complex Spinal Fracture Using Minimally Invasive Surgery 

- Advanced navigation technology allows doctors to fix broken spine with minimal blood loss and zero large cuts - 

Amritsar, September 5, 2026: Marking World Spinal Cord Injury Day, doctors at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Amritsar, successfully treated a 60-year-old woman who suffered a severe spinal fracture after a minor fall at home. The patient also suffered from obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, making standard open surgery too dangerous due to high risks of heavy bleeding, heart strain, and infection. The case was managed by a multidisciplinary team of doctors led by Dr Yanish Bhanot, Additional Director Neurosurgery, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Amritsar. 

The patient was brought to the hospital shortly after her fall. Medical scans showed a broken spine that needed quick support to stop her back from curving and to prevent permanent nerve damage. Traditional spine surgery requires a large cut down the back, cutting through muscle, and hours under anesthesia- which posed life-threatening risks for a patient with heart issues and diabetes. 

Given the patient's age and multiple medical conditions, the doctors chose a modern, minimally invasive approach guided by real-time advanced computer-assisted navigation technology. Instead of opening the entire back, surgeons made tiny keyhole cuts through the skin. Using a computer screen that acted like a live GPS of the patient’s spine, the team placed screws and rods into the exact right spots with millimeter accuracy, avoiding critical nerves and blood vessels.  

The surgery was completed successfully in three hours and resulted in minimal blood loss. The patient recovered smoothly without complications. Highlighting the case ahead of World Spinal Cord Injury Day, doctors cautioned families never to ignore sudden back pain in older adults after a slip, as aging bones fracture easily. He added that chronic illnesses like diabetes or heart trouble no longer mean surgery is impossible, provided modern, high-precision techniques are used. 

Giving details on the case, Dr Yanish Bhanot, Additional Director Neurosurgery, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Amritsar said, “This was a technically challenging case because the spinal fracture had to be managed in a patient who also had diabetes, obesity and heart disease. In such situations, the objective is not simply to perform surgery, but to protect her body from the stress of a major operation. Computer navigation acted like a live map, letting us fix the bone through tiny openings without cutting muscle or causing heavy bleeding. Technology helped us be precise, but teamwork and careful planning made the surgery safe for such a high-risk patient.” 

Mr. Yogesh Joshi, Facility Director, Fortis Escorts Hospital, Amritsar, said, "At Fortis Escorts Hospital, Amritsar, our priority has always been to combine state-of-the-art medical technology with clinical excellence to tackle high-risk, complex conditions locally. Advanced, navigation-guided procedures like this eliminate the need for patients in the region to travel to metros for specialized neurosurgical care. This milestone on World Spinal Cord Injury Day is a testament to our team’s dedication to delivering safer surgeries, faster recoveries, and international-standard outcomes."