Medical Minute: 88-Year-Old Defies Odds, Finds Relief After Back Surgery

Doctors told 88-year-old Larry Craver he would have to live with severe back pain for the rest of his life. Now, he's defying those expectations and living pain-free.

Craver, known for his energy and willingness to help family, was devastated by debilitating back pain as he aged.

“If I’m in great pain, I cannot think. I certainly can’t help other people,” Craver said.

His condition became so severe that walking was unbearable. Doctors initially told him he was too old for surgery.

“They were just saying that this was permanent. No doctor thought that you could survive surgery. He told me with the severe pain he didn’t want to go on living,” Craver’s family recalled.

Finally, a neurosurgeon was willing to evaluate Craver despite his age.

“He was certainly not a frail 88-year-old,” the surgeon said.

X-rays showed Craver had scoliosis, a cyst on his spine, and spondylolisthesis, a condition where a vertebra slips out of place. The surgeon suspected these weren’t the primary causes of his pain and opted for a standard decompression procedure instead of a high-risk spinal fusion.

The surgery removed bone and ligament pinching Craver’s nerve roots, leading to relief.

Six months later, Craver is not only walking pain-free but doing push-ups off his bedroom dresser.

“He’s doing things he hasn’t been able to do for years. He’s got a new lease on life,” his family said.

Open spine surgeries like Craver’s involve slightly larger incisions than minimally invasive procedures but are considered less painful and have faster recovery times.