Minimally-invasive treatment of disc-related back pain in Croatia

Treatment: Disc hernia surgery - nucleolysis (RF) Arthrocare Spine Coblation
Provider: St Catherine Specialty Hospital
Date: Jul 2017

“For almost seven years I suffered terrible problems with my spine, which made it impossible for me to engage in everyday activities; I was unable to sit for long, work on a computer or drive a car. I had a hard time getting up and the pains were unbearable. I tried to find a solution in the finest German and American hospitals, but after nearly seven years I felt very frustrated as there was still no progress and I was unable to return to normal life, to my everyday activities.

At a friend’s suggestion I started gathering information about the achievements of St. Catherine’s Specialty Hospital and learned that it is a centre of excellence employing top spine specialists, which led me to take a trip to Croatia and start my treatment.

St. Catherine’s team, led by Dr. Darko Perovic after running initial tests, opted for radio-frequency ablation, which specifically acts on the nerve endings at the joints of the (lumbar) spine. The procedure took only two hours with local anaesthesia and I left the hospital the same day.

I felt much better as soon as I left the hospital. Suddenly all my activities became easier and I felt no more pain and effort the way I had before. Indeed, after a short while I felt like I was reborn. Just try to imagine not being able to water your flower garden or drive your car etc. Thanks to the excellent medical team of St. Catherine’s Hospital, I can do all of that again.

I would like to conclude with my most sincere thanks to the kind and professional staff of St. Catherine’s Specialty Hospital for all they did for me, for which I will share my experience with all my friends in Germany and beyond.

Thank you, St. Catherine’s!"

Mrs Barbel Hausmann, Germany