My 72 year old mother has been advised surgery, but she is reluctant. Kindly opine.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. I read your query and understand your concerns. From the available description and the attached latest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports (attachment removed to protect patient identity), there is no evidence of a spinal tumor, and the patient can be managed conservatively without a surgical procedure. In case there are debilitating symptoms in the form of restriction of movements or others, surgery can be advised, provided physiotherapy fails to yield results. I would also like to acknowledge that the decision for surgery is never based on investigations alone, and I think a clinical consideration should be made. In case the patient is otherwise healthy, and no other problems exist, I do not think 72 years of age is old for surgery. In case her physical health is poor, then I do not think surgery will be a great choice. To conclude, I like to comment that although there is no evidence of a spinal tumor at this stage, the final decision to operate depends on multiple other factors, including the general health condition of the patient and other illnesses, if any. I hope this helps you. Feel free to write back to me if you have more questions.