"Six months later, I'm sitting here with no pain down my leg and no pain in my back."
Michael Daley, a Toms River native and U.S. Army veteran, had his life take a drastic turn over a decade ago when an IED exploded during a routine patrol in Afghanistan. He was left with with chronic, debilitating back pain. For years, Michael toughed it out, trying conservative treatments like epidural injections, but the relief was always temporary.
It wasn’t until early in 2024 that Michael found real relief through an innovative team-based procedure at his local hospital, Community Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility. While most surgeons perform spine procedures through the back, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Chanakya Jandhyala and vascular surgeon Dr. Issam Koleilat, both members of RWJBarnabas Medical Group, took a different approach. Working together, the surgeons accessed Michael’s spine through a small, 3-inch incision in the abdomen, just below the navel. This technique allowed the doctors to replace a damaged disk and provide more stability and strength to Michael’s spine, offering immediate relief where other treatments had failed.
Since the surgery, Michael has regained his mobility and returned to daily activities he had missed out on for years. Now, Michael can enjoy time with his family, just in time to honor his service this Veterans Day.
For more information, visit Orthopedics at RWJBarnabas Health.