Minimally invasive surgery: Luis Cadena

Dr. Luis Cadena, an equine veterinarian, recounts his journey from debilitating back pain to recovery after minimally invasive spine surgery at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital. His lifelong passion for horses was increasingly overshadowed by excruciating back pain. For years, he lived with a constant ache that he managed with shots and rehab, but the pain finally overwhelmed him while working with a horse, leaving him unable to stand.

An MRI revealed that his vertebrae were failing. At HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, neurological surgeon Dr. Main performed a minimally invasive spine surgery, a procedure that offers smaller incisions, less pain, and faster recovery. Immediately following the procedure, Dr. Cadena experienced a profound relief, waking up for the first time in 10 years completely pain-free.

Dr. Main explains that the minimally invasive approach allows surgeons to precisely target problem areas while minimizing impact on surrounding healthy tissue. This specialized care is designed to help patients regain their quality of life. Today Dr. Cadena is finally free from pain, happily working with horses once more and reflecting on how HCA Florida Ocala Hospital helped him get his life back.