Claudia Taylor is a fast-moving businesswoman and clothes designer, who also enjoys a very active personal life. When she started to suffer from back pain three years ago, she did what many people do—she applied ice-packs, took painkillers and went to a chiropractor. She did everything she could to stay ahead of the pain. “I’d wake up from a deep sleep because the pain was just excruciating,” she said. “I’m very athletic and loved to ride my horse, but I had to give him up; I just couldn’t ride anymore.” And her usual buoyant, outgoing personality became more somber as the pain chased her on a daily basis.
When her condition worsened to the point that she found it hard to be as effective as she liked in running her business and enjoying her active life, Taylor began researching doctors. That’s how she found Amir Vokshoor, MD, a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes in spinal microsurgery at the Spine Institute at Saint John’s Health Center. “When I met him, I knew he was the right doctor for me,” she said.
Dr. Vokshoor was equally impressed with her. He describes Taylor as a dynamo and a model patient. “She is very connected to her body,” he said. “She was understandably reluctant to have back surgery, but the pain was simply sapping her zest for life.” Upon examination and review of her imaging studies, Dr. Vokshoor found a large cyst pressing on a nerve and evidence of spinal instability.
Using minimally invasive microsurgery, Dr. Vokshoor was able to excise the cyst from the affected nerve and stabilize the L4 and L5 vertebrae with titanium rods to stop vertebral slippage and instability. Microsurgery of the spine has become a common and favored trend to minimize tissue trauma during spinal surgery. But the newer techniques employed by Dr. Vokshoor for spinal stabilization and fusion promote even more rapid recovery and optimal functional capability.
In Taylor’s case, Dr. Vokshoor achieved neural decompression and spinal stabilization by using a minimal-access tubular retractor for gentle muscle dilation, followed by surgical intervention with microsurgical instruments under microscopic magnification. This approach facilitates the highest degree of precision while minimizing trauma to surrounding soft tissue.
Nevertheless, Dr. Vokshoor is still amazed at Taylor’s fast recovery. “Her motivation is relentless and awesome,” he said. “She had great faith in my ability to help her get well by my surgical approach, but her recovery was far beyond my expectations.” Dr. Vokshoor has found that a patient’s positive attitude is one of the key factors in successful surgeries. “I had no doubt it was going to be successful,” Taylor said.
Within one week of surgery, Taylor began to regain her active life. And within four weeks, she was totally pain-free. She celebrated her 50th birthday in August by participating in the 32-mile Catalina Classic Paddleboard Championships.
Taylor credits her fast recovery to her life-long active lifestyle, the skill of Dr. Vokshoor and the care she received at Saint John’s. “I had a beautiful room at the hospital, and the care was wonderful. The night nurses were especially great. I have nothing but high praise for Saint John’s,” she said. Dr. Vokshoor couldn’t agree more. “My success also depends 100 percent on the nursing staff. I always feel confident that my patients are doing well at Saint John’s,” he said. “I’ve even done surgery on some of the staff there.”
As Taylor reflects upon the months since her surgery, she savors each moment of every day. “I’m so thankful for each step I take and the increased joy,” she said. “Dr. Vokshoor saved my life.”