"Triathlete Who Received Artificial Disc Replacement for a Neck Injury After a Bike Accident is Back to Racing" - Elizabeth Elizalde
Sarah Guenther was sure she would never run again after a cycling accident nearly ended her triathlete career. The former Manhattan resident was riding a bike in Central Park as part of her training regimen when another cyclist suddenly crossed paths in front of her. Guenther hit the brakes hard – causing her to fly over the handlebars and hit the pavement face-first. She received 150 stitches and plastic surgery on her chin before going to Mount Sinai’s Spine Center for her pain. There, Guenther met Saad Chaudhary, MD, who specialized in orthopedic surgery. Dr. Chaudhary, who has been in the field for ten years, was initially positive she was going to recover quickly. “That small disc herniation turned into a much larger rupture, which resulted in a lot of pain for her," he said. "It was quite evident that she needed surgery at this time." Guenther underwent an artificial disc replacement last December, a procedure with risks that range from infection to numbness to blood clots and an eventual stroke. "The best reward any surgeon can get is to see people that they treat do very well," Dr. Chaudhary said. "When things go well and your patient is happy there's nothing more rewarding than that." Guenther is glad she opted for the procedure, and is grateful for the care she's received at Mount Sinai.
— Saad B. Chaudhary, MD, MBA, Minimally Invasive & Complex Spine Surgery, The Mount Sinai Hospital, Associate Director, Spine Surgery Fellowship, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai