Benched Because of a Bad Back
October 08, 2019
University of Texas football fans are wondering when freshman linebacker De'Gabriel Floyd will be heading back to the field after the promising freshman was diagnosed with spinal stenosis in September.
While Longhorns coaches wait with bated breath and crossed fingers that the highly touted linebacker can play again soon, the player's future is still a mystery.
Spinal stenosis is a medical condition that causes narrowing of the spaces in the spine. This narrowing can put pressure on the spinal cord and other nerves that run through the spine.
It is frequently caused by osteoarthritis resulting from age-related wear and tear. Spinal stenosis can also be caused by spinal injuries, like those caused by a fall, impact or car crash. Other contributors to the development of the condition include overgrowth of bone and the development of bone spurs, which can also impact the nerves in the spinal canal.
Ligaments that surround the spine can become thicker over time and can bulge into the spinal canal, causing a narrowing of the space and pressure on the spinal cord.
In most cases, spinal stenosis occurs in the cervical and lumbar areas of the spine.
Spinal stenosis can also develop as a result of herniated discs, which form when the tissue between the vertebrae that acts as shock absorbers between spinal bones dries out.
If left untreated, complications can arise from the condition, including numbness and muscle weakness, particularly in the legs and lower body. In severe cases, spinal stenosis can cause balance problems, urinary and bowel incontinence, and even paralysis.
Floyd is expected to stay on the bench for the 2019 season as his options for treatment are determined.
In many cases, treatment for the condition includes medication, physical therapy and spinal surgery.
But, surgery for spinal stenosis also has its risks.
"Procedures involving the spine can be risky, as they can leave patients with lifelong damage to their neural structures," said Dr. Faisal R. Jahanigiri of AXIS Neuromonitoring in Richardson, Texas.
It's the potential for problems during spinal procedures that often prompts surgeons - and their patients - to choose to add an additional layer of protection in the operating room: intraoperative neuromonitoring
"Intraoperative neuromonitoring is a way of monitoring patients using diagnostic tools to track changes in neural structures," Jahangiri said.
For those who undergo spinal stenosis surgery, changes could affect the muscles and nerves of the rest of the body, and leave patients living with permanent complications that could affect walking, moving and other functions.
"Intraoperative neuromonitoring is a deeper look inside the body. It's an extra pair of eyes in the operating room," Jahangiri said.
Literally.
When AXIS is in the operating room, one of its trained technologists is working alongside the surgical team and other medical personnel. This trained technologist watches the diagnostic equipment that monitors the patient.
"When the technologist sees something, they alert the surgeon immediately," Jahangiri said.
Source: Chron.UT's De'Gabriel Floyd to miss 2019 season with spinal stenosis. 6 April 2019.
