Struck by serious tuberculosis, Mory returns to life thanks to the teams at the Policlinico Vanvitelli.
For the Ivorian, a real race of solidarity. A long odyssey to reach Italy. Then the disease and the fear of not making it. But also the rebirth, thanks to the work of the teams of the Policlinico Universitario Luigi Vanvitelli in Naples.
Mory's story began in January 2022 and reached its climax just before Epiphany 2023, after a year of treatment to defeat a serious form of tuberculosis and a complex and delicate surgical operation that lasted more than 12 hours.
A case so complex that it required the synergic work of the Infectious Diseases Clinic directed by Professor Nicola Coppola, Thoracic Surgery directed by Professor Alfonso Fiorelli and the Orthopedic Clinic directed by Professor Enrico Pola. Mory, a young 35-year-old Ivorian, was taken in by the Policlinico Luigi Vanvitelli with a diagnosis that was, to say the least, severe.
“The man arrived to us suffering from a widespread form of pulmonary tuberculosis – explain the clinicians – associated with a significant accumulation of pus and a very serious dorsal spondylodiscitis, called Pott's disease, which caused severe compression of the spinal cord".
Due to the disease, now at an advanced stage, Mory could hardly breathe. He could not even stand up straight and walk because the infection had eaten away part of his spine from his lungs.
“The man had a kyphotic collapse of the thoracic spine – the doctors who treated him continue – and a paraparesis with a deficit of the lower limbs“. So much suffering, but also so much loneliness for the young Ivorian who soon found himself without work and without any possessions.
Thus, in short, a real competition of solidarity broke out among doctors and nurses for Mory. The staff of the Policlinico ideally adopted him, helping him to renew his residence permit, but also buying slippers, pajamas and small goods for everyday needs at their own expense.
For 12 months Mory was subjected to medical treatment by the infectious diseases team. After the tuberculosis infection was resolved, he was then admitted to the Orthopedics department and, close to the Epiphany, surgeons studied and performed a combined intervention of Orthopedic surgery (performed by Professor Pola) and Thoracic surgery (performed by Professor Fiorelli).
About 12 hours in the operating room, for a procedure made possible also by the assistance of the anesthesiology team coordinated by Professor Caterina Pace. Two phases characterized this very delicate operation. First, the orthopedic team intervened on Mory's back, decompressing the spinal cord and stabilizing the dorsal spine by correcting the kyphosis.
The second phase of the operation, instead, served to access the chest and finally free the lung and the spinal column from the pus created by the tuberculosis infection.
Then, the orthopedists reconstructed the spine, which had been completely eroded by tuberculosis, via an anterior approach. It was necessary to replace four vertebrae using a special expandable titanium structure. “The outcome,” the clinicians conclude, “went smoothly, thanks to the great teamwork and organization put in place by the Strategic Management of our University Hospital Trust.”
Now Mory can breathe normally, he can stand up straight and he can already take his first steps. A rebirth that a year ago seemed impossible. “The multidisciplinarity and the extremely high specialization that distinguish our operating units – comments the General Manager Ferdinando Russo -, the ability to best combine the university soul with the clinical one, allows us to offer our users an excellent healthcare offer”.
Article published on 26 January 2023 - 11:57
