06-07-2025
Man's pain ended by ground-breaking Glasgow surgery
Gerry Carrigan, 54, from East Kilbride, had been living with severe back and leg pain for years due to spinal nerve compression caused by a bulging disc.
Despite undergoing two spinal disc surgeries, he found little relief and was left reliant on crutches.
Gerry and partner, Gemma (Image: Supplied) Gerry became one of the first patients in Scotland to benefit from a pioneering spinal procedure using Mixed Reality (MR) technology, which enabled surgeons to operate with accurate precision through small incisions.
He said: "It was amazing that the pain subsided instantly.
Mo and Calan prepping for surgery (Image: Supplied) "Before the pain started years ago, I was active playing football every week with friends.
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"In all honesty, it was likely the goalkeeping into my late 40s that took its toll on my back.
"The pain completely debilitated what I could do.
Magic Leap goggles (Image: Supplied) "Then, following this surgery, I was up and walking in the ward the same night, albeit, still on crutches.
"The impact this will make on my life is incredible."
The procedure was carried out at INS, which is the first centre in the UK and only the third in the world to use Magic Leap MR technology in spinal surgery.
Spinal surgery (Image: Supplied) The system projects detailed spinal images onto the patient's body through MR goggles, allowing surgeons to "see inside" without major incisions.
Gerry's minimally invasive surgery involved stabilising the area with screws and rods, removing the damaged disc, and inserting a cage implant to keep the space open and prevent future disc bulges.
He was discharged within 24 hours.
NHSGGC Regional Awards Innovation of the Year Winners (Image: Supplied) The surgery was performed at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital by a team led by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde consultant neurosurgeons and complex spine surgeons Mohamed Abdelsadg and Calan Mathieson.
The team recently won the Regional Services Award at the NHSGGC Excellence Awards for their groundbreaking work.
Mr Abdelsadg said: "This technology is transforming how we approach complex spinal surgeries.
View from inside the MR goggles (Image: Supplied) "It allows us to be more accurate, less invasive, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our patients."
The technology, developed in partnership with Brainlab, is part of a trial using Spine Mixed Reality Navigation, which combines real-time X-rays with external imaging to guide surgeons in 3D.
Gerry's leg pain dropped from a nine out of ten to just a two.
Spinal surgery - Mo and Calan (Image: Supplied) He said: "We've got a busy household with three autistic boys, so there's really not time for either my wife, Gemma, or myself to be out of action.
"Even though I'll likely always have restrictive back pain which still means I'll need the crutches to keep up my mobility outdoors, I'm incredibly grateful to the INS team for giving me a huge part of life back by taking almost all of my leg pain away."
The INS team was commended for their "remarkable dedication to advancing patient care by embracing cutting-edge technologies."
