By Allah’s Grace, the medical team of the Neurosurgery Department at Hafr Al Batin Central Hospital has succeeded in conducting a spinal canal operation for an old woman in her 70s, who was suffering from severe back pains and remained locked in a wheelchair for 15 years. After visiting the hospital's outpatient clinics, necessary tests have been made, which showed bones in her spinal canal; thus, causing its obstruction by 80%. So, this has obstructed the nervous connection of the lower limbs and caused disruption of the patient's natural functions of excretion, which is a rare case.
The patient was prepared for the operation after making sure of her capability. During the operation, the spinal canal was widened and bones removed. Thank Allah, the two-and-a-half hour operation was successful. After ten days, the patient was able to stand upright despite the failure of leg muscle functions due to the long period of sitting in a wheelchair. The patient is currently conducting rehabilitation to stimulate the flabby leg muscles. It is expected that the patient will start walking within three months at maximum, Allah willing.
It is also noted that MoH has increased the bed capacity of its hospitals in 2017 by 1822 beds, thus, making 43,675 beds in total instead of 41,835 beds. This is part of MoH’s endeavors to enhance hospital’s bed capacity for hospitalization and to reduce hospitalization waiting lists. By Allah’s Grace, this has positively improved MoH’s medical services and boosted patient satisfaction. To that end, MoH has inaugurated new hospitals, and geared up the present capacity of hospitals by recruiting more doctors and adding more beds .
In its report of achievements in 2017, MoH stated that one-day surgeries increased from 44% to 55% (with 112,095 one-day surgeries). Also, waiting lists were reduced through suppling health facilities with needed appliances for one-day surgeries, in addition to key indicators to increase the number of this type of surgeries .