Mr Narendra Kumar Rath

Written by a private patient at The Grosvenor Nuffield Hospital

Reassuring out patient review. Early days and nerves are continuing to improve after long compression.

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Written by a NHS patient at Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery

From start to finish the treatment and service I received from Mr Raff was exceptional. I saw him at the Walton Centre in January where he explained everything very clearly and told me exactly what the operation would involve and that it would be keyhole surgery if possible, which would shorten the recovery time. When I first saw Mr Raff I had been in constant pain for 16 months. After my examination he told me what he could do for me. I needed L4/5 lumbar decompression surgery to free the compressed nerves. I am 78 years old and was always very active before these problems began. I already knew how good Mr Raff was as my son had similar surgery 10 months before and from being off work for 15 months and not being able to walk more than 100 yards to be back in work, going to the gym and walking normally without pain, all down to this operation. Obviously I was hoping for a similar result. I had my surgery on 29th April and apart from developing high blood pressure, it was very successful. Mr Raff kept in touch to see how I was doing. After 10 days unfortunately I developed some complications. After speaking to Mr Raff’s secretary (who was always very helpful) an emergency appointment was made. Mr Raff took the time to see me 3 times that day and arranged an emergency MRI scan which showed that I’d had a burst blood vessel and this was causing inflammation and pain. He took time out of his busy schedule to show me exactly what the problem was. We decided that it was best to just leave it and see how i got on. Mr Raff phoned me a few days later to see how I was doing and thankfully I was starting to feel better. And now - 10 weeks after the operation I am feeling great. I haven’t taken any pain relief tablets for the past two months and I am able to walk and just to feel so much better. The surgery was very successful. I only have a tiny scar on my back and I am so thankful that I was able to have keyhole surgery. Mr Raff deserves a 10/10 for all he has done. The service from the Walton Centre has been really good also.

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Written by a NHS patient at Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery

I had been suffering for over 5 years with a slipped disc that caused a lot of weakness & numbness in my right leg and foot drop. I had 2 periods off work when things got really bad and was temporarily paralysed by the disc pressing on my spinal nerve and hospitalised for this reason. I was facing being fired due to my condition and what with living with this debilitating and painful condition i now faced loosing a 20 year career and my home. I had seen a consultant in 2018 about surgery and they suggested against surgery and to manage it conservatively. I did this and after 4 months of rehabilitation and learning to walk again i returned to work and was barely managing. Because of the amount of weakness in my leg, my balance was affected and this made doing my hobbies and daily tasks a struggle and dangerous. Therefore for 4 years i had to give up everything i loved and wouldn't call it living, but surviving. In April 2022 i had a lower lumbar microdiscectomy, to cut the bulge off the problematic disc. Everything was explained to me and i was given material to read on the internet so knew what i was facing and the risks. My main worry was recovery and looking after myself as i live on my own. I was told i would need assistance for the first few days. I think i have a high tolerance for pain so this wont go for everyone and their recovery, but immediately following the surgery and waking up, my first question was "can i get up and walk please?" i was told no, not for a few hours. I was so eager to get up and moving and everyone seemed a little bemused by the fact i didn't want any painkillers. Apart from bruising around the wound site, the majority of my pain had completely gone. I had an increase of sciatic pain in my glute and thigh that wasn't there before but this was expected following surgery and lasted around 2 weeks, so i wasn't concerned. About an hour or so after surgery and back up the ward i was walking about and very active. I immediately felt a difference in my ability to walk and the feeling in my leg and foot. Due to the bruising at the wound site i suggest you take a donut pillow with you for the car ride home and whenever you drive. I started driving after 2 weeks, just short journeys and gradually building everything up. I was incredibly surprised at just how able i was to do everything following the surgery and look after myself. It was more difficult to keep reminding myself not to do too much and certain things because i felt as if nothing had happened. And what with my renewed abilities, i felt like i wanted to use them. However i knew this would be a bad idea so i forced myself to take it east and gradually built up all activities and was able to sit for longer periods. I still have a bit of numbness & tingling in my big toe and foot drop but it has improved significantly. I have no sciatica or weakness in my leg and i can actually feel my glute, thigh and calf's muscles engaging now. I've even had cramp in my calf which i haven't had for over 4 years as the muscle was basically switched off. So although the cramp hurts like hell (and the foot drop doesn't make it easy to overcome) I'm quite happy i get it because it tells me the muscle is firing and active. On our follow up call we discussed my improvement and i said i wished i had the surgery sooner before foot drop ever became a factor. Dr Rath was encouraging that he is fighting for surgery to be performed earlier but at the appropriate time, to prevent a persons quality of life deteriorating. I told him that because of this bulging disc i was facing loosing my career, my home, i was putting on weight, i was getting depressed, the rest of my body was overcompensating for the imbalance and struggles causing problems in other areas of my body. I had to give up everything that i loved and was being alienated when all these things could have been prevented if i had undergone surgery years ago. Dr Rath seems to advocate surgical intervention at the appropriate time and the more he and other surgeons can be informed about how this condition affects a persons life and how the surgery has made a difference, the more the process can change for the better.

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Written by a NHS patient at Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery

I had surgery to remove discs C6 & C7. When I arrived at my appointment with Mr Rath the pain I was feeling was unbearable and I had lost some movement in my left arm and leg. Mr Rath talked to me in detail about the procedure I was to have and he made me feel so ease and was so kind. I was so nervous about the operation and the kindness he shown me and how he reassured me instantly put me at ease. After the operation he called my husband to let him know how I was as he held my hand. I could not recommend him enough my pain had instantly gone and I had regained all my movement. I will be eternally grateful to him not only for his kindness but for giving me back my life he is a truly remarkable man. I could never thank him enough. Karen

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Written by a NHS patient at Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery

I was seen by Mr Rath following a number of years of trying to resolve a back issue. Mr Rath arranged for the necessary scans and then advised me in detail of the issue and the options to try and fix it. After a while waiting i finally had ALIF surgery following a few meetings with Mr Rath and being explained the procedure and the benefits. After surgery Mr Rath checked up on me on a number of occasions, offering advice each time to aid with my recovery. Mr Rath is a very friendly doctor and treated me with respect at all times.

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