David Hanna used to spend countless hours on the road, but now the retired 79-year-old truck driver was unable to drive or ride as a passenger for even the shortest distances due to almost unbearable back and leg pain.
A former, longtime resident of Dalhart, a small town in the Texas Panhandle north of Amarillo, David and his wife moved 425 miles south to Lewisville to be closer to family. Unable to tolerate long car trips, David’s pain not only interfered with his ability to get around but, worse, it prevented him from seeing his close hometown friends from time to time.
“Before the surgery, I couldn’t do the simple things and was cooped up at home watching western movies and CNN all day,” said David. “Doctors told me the pain in my right leg was caused by a pinched nerve, and they gave me pain medicine. But it kept getting worse and worse. The only way to control the pain was to lie flat or to put my recliner way back.”
At the urging of his son-in-law, who was successfully treated at Texas Back Institute, David made an appointment and was examined by Dr. Michael Hisey. Because David had a pacemaker, he couldn’t undergo an MRI. Instead Dr. Hisey used 3D imaging to create a model of Mr. Hanna’s spine and found his pain was caused by a bone spur that was compressing nerves in the pelvic area.
“This is the first time we used a model for a bone spur, but the spur was located in an unusual place. The model enabled me to perform surgery with precision and take the most minimally invasive path possible,” says Dr. Hisey
“The pain was instantly gone after surgery,” said David. “Now, I have my freedom back and can drive, and that enables me to visit Dalhart and have coffee with my friends. I really appreciate Dr. Hisey and Texas Back Institute.”