2024 Fall NSF Newsletter (View PDF)
2024 5th Annual Spine Week
Spine Week 2024 proved to be another successful trip for education, collaboration, spine surgery and spine research! Drs. Richard Wohns, Farrokh Farrokhi, and Rick Chua travelled to Katmandu, Nepal to work with the neurosurgeons and residents of Teaching Hospital during the week of November 4, 2024.
After arriving in Katmandu, the group met the team at Teaching Hospital to participate in the thesis defense lectures by Chief Residents Dr. Bikas Thapa and Dr. Rupesh Chakradhar. Dr. Farrokhi and former Teaching Hospital graduate Dr. Prakash served as examiners. Drs. Thapa and Chakradhar successfully defended their thesis’ and delivered amazing talks on their clinical research! The team then proceeded to the Lemon Tree Premier Hotel in Budhanilkantha for our Academic Day and Pre-op Conference. The hotel provided a new and beautiful venue to share knowledge and visit with our Nepali colleagues and their families.
Highlighted lectures included “Medical Errors” by Professor and Head of Department Mohan Sharma, “Cervical Radiculopathy” by Dr. Gopal Sedain, “Nuances to Cranio-Cervical Fixation” by Dr Amit Pradhanang, “Intraoperative Neuromonitoring in Spine Surgery” by 2024 NSF Fellowship Recipient Dr. Dipendra Shrestha, “Surgical Management of Tarlov Cyst” by new faculty member Dr. Sandeep Bohara, “Different Techniques in Posterior Fossa Decompression in Chiari Malformation” by Dr. Anjan Singh, and “Cervical Adjacent Segment Disease” by Dr. Prabhat Jha
The US contingent provided their expertise by delivering the following lectures: “Piezo in Spine Surgery” and “Foraminotomy vs ACDF” by Dr. Farrokh Farrokhi, “Basics of Adult Spinal Deformity” and “Review of MIS Decompression Techniques” by Dr. Rick Chua, and “Spinal Tumors” by Dr. Richard Wohns.
The Teaching Hospital Neurosurgery residents, Dr. Bikas Thapa, Dr. Rupesh Chakradhar, and Dr. Bishwas Shrestha then presented the possible surgical cases for the week. On OT day 1, a single level standalone cervical fusion was performed with intra-operative neuromonitoring, followed by an open revision L4-5 decompression and instrumented TLIF. On OT day 2, a multi-level lumbar laminectomy was performed followed by a lumbar laminoplasty and resection of a nerve sheath tumor using IOM. Both of these cases were performed using the piezo drill technology. On OT day 3, the team was able to observe Prof. Sharma perform a transfrontal/transventricular craniotomy for an infected colloid cyst, and Prof. Shilpakar perform repair of a ruptured occipital encephalocele on a newborn. OT day 4 wrapped up this years’ Spine Week with a multilevel cervical laminoplasty.
In addition to the surgical experience, the NSF team once again witnessed the amazing TH neurosurgical team on daily rounds in the ICU and neurosurgical wards. The patients and families were so grateful for the care they received by this amazing team of neurosurgeons and neurosurgical residents. As always, significant plans have already been made for Spine Week 2025 and even beyond!
UPCOMING NSF EVENTS
- Spring Fundraising Trek: April20-May 3, 2025. Please reachout to Michi Wohns at michiwohns@gmail.com for more information or to sign up.
- We are excited to announce our2025 Fellow: Dr. Sandeep Bohara, TUTH, Kathmandu, Nepal.
- 2025 Spine Week: TBD
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Happy holidays from the Nepal Spine Foundation!
