WHAT WENT BEFORE: Arroyo’s neck arthritis

On July 29, 2011, former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underwent a five-hour surgery on her cervical spine at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Her doctors said the prognosis for her recovery was “remarkable.”

Days before the operation, her doctors said Arroyo needed surgery to realign a portion of her spine at the neck. They said she had “a damaged cervical spine” and “multilevel cervical spondylosis.” Arroyo’s condition may lead to “irreversible” paralysis if it was not treated immediately, the doctors said.

Cervical spondylosis, also called neck arthritis, is a degenerative condition of the cartilage and bones of the neck caused by the chronic erosion of the cervical spine. It is usually caused by age-related deterioration of the spine, and is the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in older adults.

On Aug. 10, 2011, Arroyo underwent a follow-up surgery, but the seven-hour operation failed due to a “very rare” infection that prevented the replacement of implants in her spine. Doctors said the infection “must be treated before a third surgery [could] be performed to install a new set of implants.”

Arroyo went through a third surgery on Aug. 24, 2011. The operation was initially scheduled to be held the day before but Arroyo developed a fever, and the doctors decided to proceed only after her fever went down.

Sources: Inquirer Archives