Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1444917
Health Matters: Providence Holy Cross Medical Center | 7 T wo years ago, Maria Haro found herself living with excruciating pain that ran down her entire left leg. In fact, the 69-year- old mother of three and grandmother of three from Sylmar says she found it difficult to walk. The daily pain increased until she could barely move and wasn't able to change positions in bed, creating sleepless nights. The retired seamstress, who loves to hike and take care of her grandchildren (Xiara, 6, Jaxon, 4, and Xander, newborn), could no longer do either. She was rushed to emergency rooms at times when the pain was intense, but physicians were at a loss about its cause. Finally Maria was referred to a nerve specialist, who took an MRI that showed two eroding disks in her spine that were pinching nerves running down her leg. She was then referred to Justin C. Spooler, MD, a neurosurgeon and spine specialist with Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. While it was determined that she needed spine surgery immediately, Maria says she decided to wait to schedule it and to try to endure the pain a bit longer because of her fears about the pandemic. "We were worried about COVID-19 and the fact that she's older. We thought it best to wait to go to a hospital until cases were lower and she was fully vaccinated," says Arlene, Maria's 34-year-old daughter, an elementary school teacher in Sylmar who is pursuing a master 's degree in education with an emphasis in multilingual and multicultural education. (Arlene translated her mother 's Spanish for this interview.) While the pain mounted during the pandemic, Maria's decision to wait for surgery might just have been divinely orchestrated. When she did call back to schedule her surgery, her physician had just received the latest robotic surgical technology—a surgical robot called ExcelsiusGPS, manufactured by Globus. And on September 3, 2021, Maria became the first patient at Holy Cross to benefit from this robot. When they discovered this stroke of luck a few months later, daughter and mother agreed that it sounded like "God's plan." WHY IS THIS NEW ROBOTIC TECHNOLOGY SUCH A BIG DEAL? Robotic surgery allows for a more precise and minimally invasive procedure that just a few years ago was not possible. "The use of the robot allowed us to perform surgery without the need to make a larger incision or to expose the bone directly. This allows for a more rapid recovery and much less pain," explains Dr. Spooler. Maria's surgery was a fusion of the lumbar 4 and 5 disks to lighten pressure on the sciatic nerve. With razor precision and the steady, 360-degree reach of its robotic arm, this type of surgery is more accurate and relieves pain nearly instantly. This is especially important, as it means patients do not require as lengthy hospital From Immobile to Chasing After Grandchildren The miracle of robotic spine surgery at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Monica Orozco Photography