The pain started in his left hip and went down his leg. Sometimes the entire leg would feel numb. Richard Heitmueller, 56, of Ocean, typically volunteered with the Allenhurst First Aid Squad but found he couldn't keep up with his volunteer work as his symptoms intensified.
When Richard walked or was on his feet for even a few minutes, the pain would intensify. When he sat, the pain would go away.
He throught the probelm was with his hip, so he visited Roy Mittman, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Ocean Medical Center. Dr Mittman had performed a knee replacement for Richard's wife the previous year. After reviewing Richard's case and performing a CT scan of his spine, Dr. Mittman referred Richard to his partner, Haralambos (Lambro) Demetriades, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Ocean Medical Center who specializes in spine problems.
Richard's symptoms, along with the CT scan, helped Dr. Demetriades confirm that Richard had a pinched nerve -- the result of spinal stenosis.
Spinal stenosis typically affects people older than 50. It is the result of everyday wear and tear on the spine. "As people age, the ligaments of the spine can thicken, bone spurs can form, disks can collapse or bulge, or a vertebra can slip. Any of these problems can lead to pain and is referred to as spinal stenosis," explains Dr. Demetriades. "The good news is that we have minimally invasive options that are effective in 80 percent of the patients I treat."
Typically, doctors first suggest nonsurgical treatment options for spinal stenosis, such as physical therapy and epidural shots. Dr. Demetriades tried these options with Richard, but they did not help alleviate Richard's pain.
Dr. Demetriades then suggested a relatively new minimally invasive surgical procedure called an interspinous process decompression (IPD). During an IPD procedure, a "spacer" made of titanium is implanted through a small incision in the spine. It helps keep the spinal area open to prevent pinching of the nerves.
"The beauty of the procedure is that it typically does not require removing bone or soft tissue, it can be done under local anesthesia, and it does not limit any future surgical or nonsurgical treatment options," says Dr. Demetriades.
In Richard's case, he had same-day surgery at Ocean Medical Center. He went into the hospital in the morning and was on his way home by midafternoon.
"Almost immediately, there was no pain -- it solved the problem," says Richard.
He was back to work nine days later and is still helping out with the First Aid Squad.
About the Doctor
Lambro Demetriades, M.D.
Board certified in Orthopedic Surgery
Brick | 732-458-7866
