32-Year-Old Man Regains Ability to Stand After Spine Surgery at JJ Hospital
A 32-year-old computer science graduate has regained the ability to stand upright and walk after undergoing a complex corrective spine surgery at Sir JJ Group of Hospitals in Mumbai on July 17, 2026. Shivraj Mahadeo Javane, a native of Hingoli, had been living with severe back pain and a progressively bent spine for nearly six years due to ankylosing spondylitis and a rare complication known as severe kyphosis.
Javane developed persistent back pain in 2020 and was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis in 2021. Over time, his spine became rigid and curved forward into a bow-like posture, making it difficult to sit, sleep, walk, bend, or look straight ahead. The debilitating condition forced him to quit his bank job in 2022.
The worsening spinal deformity also caused abnormal weight-bearing on one side of his body, damaging his hip and requiring a hip replacement surgery in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2025. Seeking specialized care for his spinal posture, Javane subsequently sought treatment from Dr. Dhiraj Sonawane, Chief Spine Surgeon, Associate Professor, and Head of the Orthopaedic and Spine Unit at JJ Hospital.
Javane was admitted to JJ Hospital on July 15, 2026. HLA-B27 testing and whole-spine X-rays confirmed severe kyphosis. While ankylosing spondylitis affects approximately one in two lakh people, severe kyphosis associated with the condition is estimated to occur in nearly one in four million people.
On July 17, Dr. Sonawane led a multidisciplinary team in performing a corrective osteotomy. The seven-to-eight-hour procedure involved removing a precisely calculated, nearly 45-degree wedge of bone from Javane's lumbar spine. The spine was then gradually straightened and stabilized using specialised rods and screws.
Dr. Sonawane explained that chronic inflammation from ankylosing spondylitis causes new bone formation between spinal joints, fusing the spine's 33 vertebrae together and preventing normal movement. In Javane's case, this progression had left his entire spine rigid and bent forward.
Following the surgery, Javane underwent physiotherapy and rehabilitation, gradually regaining mobility. He was discharged from the hospital on July 23, 2026. Doctors advised him to avoid heavy lifting and excessive bending, perform leg-strengthening exercises, and attend regular follow-up appointments. Medical experts noted that early diagnosis and treatment can help slow the progression of the disease and prevent severe spinal deformities.
