Conquering Pain with Spine Surgery at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital

When a stroke or heart attack strikes, every second matters. Saving time could mean saving a life, and it’s crucial that medical treatment starts right away. That’s why in the case of a heart attack or stroke, call 911 immediately—don’t drive yourself or another person to the hospital. 

Emergency Medical Service crews are trained to start life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital, minimizing damage to your heart or brain. They can also conduct and interpret electrocardiograms to diagnose a heart attack in the ambulance. 

You also don’t want to drive if you are experiencing a heart attack or stroke yourself because your condition could worsen on the way to the emergency department and impact your ability to stay safe on the road. 

“If you're having an emergency, which could be severe abdominal pain, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness that you can't really explain, you've got to call 911,” said Dr. Ed Malcom, an emergency medicine physician at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. “The ambulance and the EMS services will get you to the emergency department in a safe way, and we will get you taken care of.” 

When a patient has a heart attack, ambulance crews communicate with our cardiac team on the way to the hospital, bypassing the emergency department and diverting directly to the cardiac catheterization lab, where our team is ready to restore blood flow to your heart. Calling 911 means reopening the heart artery sooner. And when someone has a stroke, it’s also crucial to take action right away—the sooner you seek treatment, the more brainpower can be saved. 

To learn more about how Wellstar treats heart attacks and strokes, visit our heart care and neuro care pages. 

A Wellstar patient recovering from a brain injury got a surprise visit Thursday from a former Atlanta Falcons player in celebration of the teenager’s graduation from the intensive care unit of Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta.

Oheneba “O.J.” Appiah, 17, who plays linebacker for the football team at Archer High School near Lawrenceville, sustained the brain injury during a football game last month.

“After the game, he said he was dizzy, and that’s when he passed out,” said his mom, Elizabeth Appiah.

“I met O.J. on the worst day of his life,” said Dr. Phillip Parry, a Wellstar neurosurgeon. “He had a life-threatening bleed inside his head, and we took him to surgery immediately.”

O.J. has come a long way during his 20-day stay in intensive care.

“His miraculous recovery is a testament to the care he received and an inspiration to us all to continue doing what we do every day,” Dr. Parry said.

“We are so grateful to God,” O.J.’s mother said. “The team here is great, and the nurses are amazing.”

Wellstar Kennestone’s neuro-ICU team, called “5 Blue East,” bonded with O.J. and his family over their love of football. The team members said it’s been great witnessing O.J.’s recovery and seeing his personality come back.

Former Atlanta Falcons and Pro Bowl player Ovie Mughelli visited O.J. during a special surprise party Thursday. Mughelli gave O.J. a signed jersey and photo from his professional football days and shared advice.

“You had a hard situation happen to you, but you can do hard things,” said Mughelli, encouraging O.J. to “ask for help up front.”

The young football player had just one question for the former NFL player: “How do you get an offer?”

By working hard and building relationships, Mughelli responded. He also stressed the importance of focusing on school. After learning O.J. had never been to a Falcons game, Mughelli invited him to attend one next season.

Wellstar Kennestone President Lorrie Liang, who also stopped by to congratulate O.J., noticed Mughelli’s gift.

“Now you have a jersey to wear during rehab,” she said to O.J.

But O.J. didn’t feel like waiting. He put on the jersey almost immediately.

Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. It can develop in adults, often due to changes in the spine, such as disc degeneration, arthritis or osteoporosis. While many adults with scoliosis may not need treatment, surgery may be necessary in severe cases where the curve causes significant pain, limits movement or leads to deformity.

This type of surgery, called spinal deformity correction, is a complex procedure performed by a neurosurgeon. The goal is to realign the spine from the neck to the hips, both front-to-back and side-to-side. Dr. Ben Zussman, a Wellstar neurosurgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, is one of the few specialists in Georgia who performs this life-changing surgery.

When scoliosis surgery is recommended

“Adult degenerative scoliosis often develops slowly, causing someone with a previously straight spine to become increasingly crooked,” Dr. Zussman explained. 
Common signs that might lead to considering surgery include:

• Uneven shoulders or waistline
• Protruding shoulder blades
• A hump on the back
• Severe low back pain or leg pain
• Leg weakness
• Stooped posture

These symptoms occur because the spine's unnatural curve forces the body to adjust, which can change posture and make it hard to stay upright. “Without a good center of gravity, your body begins to lean, which is exhausting,” says Dr. Zussman. When pain and limited mobility significantly affect daily life, scoliosis surgery can help improve movement and quality of life.

Moving forward with treatment

By age 50, Cynthia Clark’s spine had become so crooked that she could no longer stand upright. A CT scan taken just eight years earlier showed a straight spine, but degenerative scoliosis had progressed quickly, causing intense pain and difficulty walking.



Dr. Zussman offered Cynthia surgery to relieve her severe symptoms, explaining the complexity and long recovery process. Although she was nervous, Cynthia reached a point where she felt she couldn’t continue living in such pain.

Before surgery, Dr. Zussman referred her to an endocrinologist to strengthen her bones, ensuring she was physically and mentally prepared. When she was ready, Cynthia underwent the procedure.

Undergoing complex spinal surgery

Cynthia’s surgery was extensive, lasting eight hours and involving a long incision down her back. Dr. Zussman used advanced imaging techniques to guide the placement of 17 levels of screws with precision. He removed damaged discs and relieved pressure from pinched nerves. The screws were then connected by long, strong rods to realign her spine, restoring its shape and function.



Post-operative X-rays show Cynthia standing up straight. The screws, rods and spacers help to brace her skeleton internally and maintain her posture.

Recovery is ‘like a miracle’

Cynthia’s recovery was remarkable. She began walking within two days after surgery—far surpassing expectations. Her quick progress allowed her to be discharged without needing inpatient rehab, and she completed a shorter-than-usual course of outpatient therapy.

“Cynthia now walks completely straight without a cane,” said Dr. Zussman. “Even people at her grocery store notice the drastic difference and give her hugs.”

Cynthia credits Dr. Zussman and his team with giving her life back. “I’m so happy I can move and do stairs—it’s like a miracle,” she shared.

Life-changing scoliosis surgery

Wellstar’s neurosurgery team addresses complex brain and spine conditions, including adult spinal deformity. In severe cases, scoliosis correction surgery requires a dedicated team of 10 to 15 medical professionals working together to realign the spine.

“This type of surgery can be totally life-changing,” Dr. Zussman shared.

Only a few neurosurgeons in Georgia perform this extensive surgery. Wellstar offers this advanced level of scoliosis care at Wellstar Cobb Medical Center, Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center and Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. Reach out to a location near you to schedule an appointment:

• Neurosurgery in Austell
• Neurosurgery in Marietta
• Neurosurgery in Roswell
• Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Augusta 

Learn more about spine surgery at Wellstar.