As Medical Education Manager for Arthrex Long Island, Diana Delio is familiar with advances in minimally invasive products and procedures. But she never imagined she would one day become a patient herself.
At the Arthrex-exclusive agency serving healthcare professionals in Long Island and Connecticut, Diana helps facilitate surgeon education on the latest surgical techniques and innovations.
“I support the Arthrex educators who come in to teach others how to use our products safely and effectively in the lab,” Diana said.
Recently, Diana developed terrible nerve pain in her shoulder that radiated down her arm and into her hand. An MRI revealed that she had a herniated cervical disc that was compressing a nerve. She first turned to a local doctor, who gave her an epidural steroid injection and prescribed stretching and physical therapy.
“Nothing I tried was working,” Diana said. “I was crying for hours at a time, wondering ‘Is this my life now?’”
At just 36, with a nine-year-old daughter at home, Diana feared for her future.
“I am very active and I work a lot, but the pain was so intense, I could barely drive and I even struggled to wash dishes. I felt the nerve pulling down my arm constantly,” Diana said. “I was on a prescription medication for nerve pain, and it was still horrible.”
But then, Diana ended up assisting in the first endoscopic cervical spine surgery lab at Arthrex Long Island.
Board-certified neurosurgeon Jacky Yeung, MD, FAANS (New Haven, CT), was there instructing on endoscopic discectomy for nerve pain caused by a herniated disc—the exact issue that was plaguing Diana.
After the lab, Director of Endoscopic Spine at Arthrex Long Island Rob Mulligan reached out to Dr. Yeung and asked him to review Diana’s MRI to see if she was a candidate for endoscopic spine surgery.
“She was in excruciating pain and could barely lift her arm or turn her head,” Rob said. “Dr. Yeung has done hundreds of endoscopic spine surgeries, and I knew that if anyone could help her avoid a spinal fusion, it was him.”
Dr. Yeung reviewed Diana’s records and immediately set up a telehealth visit for her.
“Diana had a sizable disc herniation in the cervical spine [at C6-C7],” Dr. Yeung said. “She had exhausted conservative options such as physical therapy and steroid injections in the neck, and they did not give her relief.”
Dr. Yeung said common treatment options would include performing an anterior cervical discectomy fusion, which involves going through the front of the neck, removing the herniated disc and inserting a permanent implant.
“They are not attractive options for such a young patient,” Dr. Yeung said. “The implants are permanent and can reduce motion as well as increase the risk of accelerating degeneration of the adjacent spinal levels.”
That degeneration often leads to future surgeries and more fusions at other levels in the spine. Instead, Dr. Yeung offered Diana the option to undergo an endoscopic posterior cervical discectomy. This surgery uses a scope about the width of the tip of a pencil that is inserted into the back of the neck to access the herniated disc. The herniated portion of the disc is then removed through the scope.
“This approach allows for a much faster recovery,¹ helps preserve motion, and the surgical pain is minimal,” Dr. Yeung said. “It involves a seven-millimeter cut at the back of the neck and is often performed as a same-day procedure. In my experience, many patients are able to manage any postoperative discomfort with Tylenol, Motrin, or ice."
Diana went forward with the surgery and woke up to a new lease on life.
“I could not believe it. It was instant relief,” she said. “The pain down my arm was gone. I was crying with relief because I could actually feel my fingers again, too.”
Within a week, Diana was back at work. After four weeks, she was back to living life as usual.
“The morning after surgery, I took a shower for the first time without nerve pain,” Diana said. “I looked at my daughter and said ‘Finally! We can get back to life as we want to live it.’ “
Today, Diana is back to working without pain or restrictions. She is once again enjoying life with her family, whether they are walking their dog or going to the beach.
“More people need to know about endoscopic spine surgery. I am fortunate to have learned about it at work, but others need the information, in case the first physician they see doesn’t offer this option to them,” Diana said. “It may sound cliché, but Dr. Yeung literally gave me my life back, and I am so grateful.”