Priyanka Tiwari
Share
Suspense crime, Digital Desk : A mobile gamer’s passion unfortunately led to the partial paralysis of a 19-year-old boy living in Delhi. This situation resulted in him needing to undergo spinal surgery, assuming the doctors’ explanation of mobile games and spinal tuberculosis as the cause of his paralysis was accurate. The teenager developed extreme spinal deformities and started losing bladder control, i.e. his spinal cord was in severe trouble, due keepig isolated in his room 12 hours a day.
Surgical intervention using spinal navigation technology
The boy exhibited symptoms like kypho-scoliosis, resulting from TB infection in two vertebrae (D11 and D12). Undetected spinal TB along with undiagnosed screen addiction led to his current condition. By this point, the boy was struggling to walk and barely able to control his bladder. Upon arriving at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), undergoing a scan revealed scoliosis – a critical TB-is infection invertebral seond vertebra - kyphosis deformity.
Fortunately, Dr Vikas Tandon, the Chief of Spine Services at ISIC, had the daunting task of coming up with an advanced level spinal TB treatment plan alongside therapeutic rehabilitation to permanently reverse the damage caused by decades of motionless gaming. They opted for the less invasive approach of GPS-aided navigated spine surgery stabilifying casting spondylodesis, where precision spinal imaging is utilized to determine the optimal entries to the spine or for purposes of navigation and defect repair correction.
This procedure comprised easing pressure from the spinal cord, guiding the curvature on correction, and performing posterior spinal fusion with instrumentation. After the surgical treatment, the youth started improving as he passed urine and started walking.
Increasing Health Complications Associated with Gaming Addiction in Adolescents
Dr Tandon mentioned that growing numbers of adolescents are developing problems with bones and joints due to the sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity, and excessive use of screens. In this situation, chronic gaming not only aggravated the spinal alignment issue but also postponed the diagnosis of underlying tuberculosis.
The youth is currently in rehabilitation with physiotherapy exercises and psychological therapy to help with the treatment of his mobile gaming obsession.
Need for Effective and Timely Action by Parents and Physicians
Dr Tandon stressed the need for an active diagnosis with parents’ active participation, encouraging movement, and regular exercises in order to avert such consequences. Gaming disorder can mask underlying, more serious and complex health concerns as was noted in this patient.
Doctors anticipate that this will make families more proactive regarding the monitoring of adolescent health from a physical and psychological perspective. Regular balanced lifestyle, routine medical evaluations and checks coupled with reduced screen time greatly improves health.
