Case History of Mr. Basim Mohammad
Mr. Basim Mohammad, a man from a city in Iraq, visited Dr. Hitesh Garg, Head of Spine Surgery at Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, with a complaint of persistent back pain radiating down his leg. His family members also noticed a visible change in his posture, where he appeared to be leaning to one side.
Diagnostic evaluation
Concerned about this change, Dr. Garg ordered an X-ray of the spine, which revealed a curvature resembling scoliosis. However, the clinical presentation and symptoms did not match scoliosis, prompting Dr. Garg to investigate further.
To identify the exact cause, he advised an MRI scan and performed a detailed clinical evaluation. The findings confirmed that the patient was suffering from lumbar PIVD (Prolapsed Intervertebral Disc) — a slipped disc irritating a nerve root and causing the body to lean sideways to relieve the pain. This condition, medically known as a scoliotic list, can mimic scoliosis but is functional and reversible once the underlying cause is treated.
Surgical Intervention and Recovery
Based on the diagnosis, Dr. Garg recommended a microscopic decompression surgery (microdiscectomy) to relieve the nerve compression. The surgery was successful, using minimally invasive techniques to remove the offending disc fragment and release pressure on the nerve.
Post-surgery, the patient’s body alignment returned to normal, and his follow-up spine X-ray showed a perfectly straight and healthy spine. The radiating leg pain subsided, and he was able to walk comfortably again within days — a clear sign of recovery and relief for both him and his family.
What Dr. Hitesh Garg Explained About the Scoliotic List
Dr. Garg explained that a scoliotic list is a temporary tilt of the spine that occurs as a protective response to pain or nerve irritation, commonly caused by a disc herniation. It is not true scoliosis, as there is no structural deformity of the vertebrae. Once the nerve compression is treated, the body naturally restores its normal alignment.
He emphasized that,
“Many patients get alarmed seeing a curve on their X-ray and assume it’s scoliosis. But in cases like these, it’s the body’s way of reducing nerve pain — and the curve disappears completely once the root cause is corrected.”
A Message of Hope
After a short recovery period, the patient returned to Iraq with his posture restored and his pain completely gone — a testament to how accurate diagnosis and expert surgical care can transform lives.
This case highlights the importance of specialized spine evaluation and how conditions that seem serious, like scoliosis, may sometimes be functional and reversible when managed by experts like Dr. Hitesh Garg and his team at Artemis Hospital.