Michael Morgan, 68, spent decades doing heavy-duty work. But for the past six or seven years, persistent hip and lower-back pain began to take its toll.
“I always thought it was arthritis,” he recalls. “Even a doctor I saw early on said the same, but they were wrong. It was my back and nerve pain.”
The discomfort grew unbearable, often forcing Michael to leave work early and even seek emergency care multiple times.
“I needed the job,” Morgan says. “But the pain was constant. It got to a point where I couldn’t push through anymore.”
A LIFE-CHANGING SURGERY
After consulting with board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Orhan Ilercil, Morgan learned he was a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery.
“I finished my training in 1995, and the way I do spine surgery now is completely different from the way we originally learned,” Dr. Ilercil says. “In the past, spinal surgery involved large incisions where muscle was disconnected from bone to access the nerves of the spine. This led to significant problems with sickness and chronic pain.
“Now, with minimally invasive techniques, we can achieve the same or better results with much smaller incisions, less trauma, and faster recovery.”
Morgan’s case was complex.
“He had spinal stenosis, where bone spurs were pinching his nerves, and spondylolisthesis, where one bone had moved out of place relative to another,” Dr. Ilercil explains. “We made three small incisions —one to remove the bone spurs and replace the damaged disc with an implant, and two for robotic-assisted placement of screws and rods to stabilize the spine. This approach minimizes blood loss, reduces infection risk and provides better outcomes because the muscle isn’t injured.”
The two-hour procedure was a success.
“When I woke up, I was in a room, and by noon, Dr. Ilercil had checked on me and released me to go home,” Morgan says. “Since then, I’ve been recovering with home care.”
LOOKING AHEAD WITH GRATITUDE
The results have been life changing.
“I haven’t had any pain like before, and the soreness from surgery is nothing compared to what I dealt with,” Morgan says. “Dr. Ilercil and his team did a remarkable job.”
Now, as Morgan looks forward to retirement, he’s eager to get back to fishing.
“I love fishing for reds, white trout, and ground mullet offshore,” he says.
Reflecting on his journey, Morgan is grateful.
“Dr. Ilercil spent time explaining everything to me,” he says. “It was incredible — real professional care. I really appreciate what he did.”
