Advanced know-how, improved treatment regimen and training has made spine surgery extremely safe, eminent spine surgeon Prof. (Dr.) Shankar Acharya has said.

‘Around 95 per cent of spine surgeries are successful these days and no one should think of it as a risky proposition,” Prof. (Dr.) Acharya said while speaking at a training program for spine surgeons organised at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital here on Sunday.

The training program was organised by the Association of Spine Surgeons of India (ASSI).

Prof. (Dr.) Acharya, a former President of ASSI and presently head of the department of spine surgery at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, said the problem of the spine was now being found in both the young and old people.

‘Factors like lifestyle opted by people, irregular food habits and neglect in exercise are the reasons for the rise in spine problems,’ he said adding diabetes was also responsible for causing infection in the spine.

Injury caused to the spinal cord in road accidents was a major cause of worry as it often led to permanent disability, Prof. (Dr.) Acharya said.

The first week of September is observed as Spinal Cord Injury Week, he said.

The program was addressed by Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of IMS and SUM Hospital and Dr. Subrat Mohapatra, Organising Secretary of the program and Associate Professor of the Orthopedic department of the hospital.

Chairman of the Odisha Spine Society, Prof. (Dr.) Madanmohan Sahu and Organising Chairman of the event Dr. Abhishek Srivastava, were present. Around 200 doctors attended the program.