Jerry's Story

With the help of Dr. Cem Cezayirli, Jerry Jett now feels a level of relief of what was once crippling back pain.

It was back in 2013 when Jerry, now 47, had a ruptured disc to the point it crushed down and hit a nerve. After one surgery, it felt better for some time, but this year, Jerry knew he had to do something because the pain was getting worse.

“I was in a lot of pain to the point where I couldn’t sit straight up. It made it difficult to work since I am a truck driver,” he shared.

After visiting Dr. Cezayirli, a neurosurgeon affiliated with Princeton Baptist, the physician recommended back surgery to Jerry using a new radiation-free technology called the 7D Surgical FLASH Navigation System. This new equipment offers a safer environment for the patient and the surgical team.

Princeton Baptist is the first hospital in Alabama to install and deploy the 7D Surgical FLASH Navigation System technology for spinal and cranial procedures. The underlying technology is similar to what is used in self-driving automobiles.

The hospital recently held an open house demonstration of the technology, where Dr. Cezayirli shared the benefits of the machine.

“As a neurosurgeon, the FLASH Navigation System technology provides me with enhanced precision when placing hardware in the spine, because I can see the anatomy in 3D,” he said. “I am proud to offer my patients the latest technology in spine surgery while eliminating unnecessary radiation.”

Just a day after the surgery, Jerry progressed to moving around unassisted without his walker.  

His daughter, Kaitlyn, was glad to see her dad progressing so well and is grateful for the care he received at Princeton Baptist.

“We are so thankful for that Dr. Cezayirli explained everything so well,” she said. “It was so clear to the point where I felt like it made sense to me and that made me feel better.”

Jerry felt the nursing staff were very attentive to him as he began his recovery.

“They have been so good to me,” he said.

To learn more about this new surgical equipment and Princeton Baptist’s commitment to continuing to invest in the right equipment for our patients, please click here to learn more: https://www.princetonbaptistmedicalcenter.com/news/newsroom/princeton-baptist-medical-center-first-hospital-in-alabama-to-deploy-7d-surgical's-machine-vision-image-guided-surgery-(mvigs)-technology