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TOP SPINAL SURGEON ’ S JOURNEY TO MAKING A HOME IN LIVERPOOL
Mersey Life talk to Mr Prokopios Annis , Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon at Spire Liverpool Hospital
Award winning spinal surgeon Mr Prokopios Annis , who specialises in helping people with spinal conditions , has travelled the world with his work .
Back in 2012 , he was recognised by the Scoliosis Research Society ( SRS ) with the famous Russell Hibbs Award . The Hibbs Award , created in honour of Russell A . Hibbs , a pioneer in scoliosis surgery , is given annually to the best research paper in this specialty . We caught up with Mr . Annis who is a Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon at Spire Liverpool to find out more …
Tell us a bit about your experience ? I did my medical training in Italy and once I had finished my studies I returned to Thessaloniki in Greece , to complete my surgical training and then spent a year of national service in the Greek army !
I developed my passion for spinal surgery during my Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery training in Asclepieion Hospital which is a large and busy hospital in Greece with a long tradition of Orthopaedics . During my residency I got the chance to travel to Salt Lake City in Utah in America . I was working on preventing complications in Adult Spinal Deformity and got to work with some of the most internationally renowned doctors . Once I had my specialty qualification , I spent the next four years in the States and was honoured to have my work recognised with the famous Russel Hibbs award .
In 2014 I got a job in Liverpool as a Spinal Consultant at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital . I was so excited to arrive in Liverpool as there are huge opportunities for a doctor here . I began in private practice with Spire Healthcare Group , and I still hold an honorary contract with the University of Utah , as I work on numerous international spinal research projects there .
What are the most common problems you see in your clinic at Spire ? The most common problems that come into clinic are lumbar disc herniation which is also known as a protruding disc or disc prolapse and spinal stenosis which affects a lot of my elderly patients . We also see patients with back pain due to degenerative deformities , most commonly degenerative spondylolisthesis .
I see the lumbar disc herniation most often in people who drive for a living because of how they ’ re always sitting in the same position It affects quite a lot of young active and athletic . We can diagnose this condition with an MRI , and we can treat it with physio and painkillers and steroid injections to a certain extent , but sometimes the patient needs surgery to correct it . Many people have a fear of spinal surgery , but in the majority of cases like these , they would only be in the hospital overnight and then they can go home .
How would you know you had a Lumbar Disc Herniation ? You would develop a severe pain down your leg which can feel like an electric shock . It ’ s a be a painful sciatica , but 90-95 % pf patients will see an improvement in their pain post-surgery which would see them back in work in a few weeks .
What is Spinal Stenosis ? It ’ s a condition that usually affects elderly patients where there is an issue with the nerve in the spinal canal due to wear and tear or arthritis , and this causes difficulty walking and pain for them .
Sometimes they don ’ t even seek treatment because they just put it down to old age . They lose their quality of life , and they can only walk a few yards .
I ’ m happy to say we can repair this , and the patient is usually only in the hospital overnight with very good results allowing them to walk more .
What is Degenerative Spondylolisthesis ? The name of this condition comes from the Greek word Spodylos = Vertebra and Listhesis = Slip . So spondylolisthesis means slipped vertebra . Due to this slip the nerves in this region are trapped and patient can develop severe sciatica . When non-operative treatments fail surgery becomes an option with good outcomes . Decompression alone and spinal fusion and the recommended treatments . At Spire Liverpool Hospital a lot of patients have been treated with excellent outcomes . When fusion is indicated this can be performed with minimal invasive access ( MIS TLIF ) and patient usually leave the hospital within 24hours .
You ’ ve worked and studied all over the world – how did you come to Liverpool ? I knew Liverpool because of the football team and when I was in America , I would mention Liverpool , and everyone knew the city because of the football and the Beatles you know ?
When I got the job in Liverpool it was my first time in the UK , never mind the city ! I found the people in Liverpool to be very like the Greeks , they are open and friendly and lovely people . We have a lot of tourism on the island where I grew up and you hear a lot of different accents , so I found it amazingly easy to understand the Liverpool accent when we arrived here .
Actually , my friend put me in touch with a family from Liverpool who were staying in my hometown in Greece , and they welcomed me , my wife and my daughter who was born in the states , when we arrived here and helped us find a house and settle in when we first moved here .
I am also a BIG football fan and am a big supporter of Liverpool Football Club , I go to all the games , and this plays a big part of my life here , I don ’ t think we ’ ll move anywhere else .
At Spire Liverpool Hospital , our consultants have wide experience in the latest techniques and innovations and our inclusive prices and access to 0 % finance options make the process easy and more affordable . For further information on our broad range of procedures , and to find out more about our team of expert Consultants , search ‘ Spire Liverpool ’ or call our specialist advisors on 0151 391 7157 .
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