May 7, 2025 – After enduring months of persistent pain and numbness in her arm and shoulder, Linda Flock turned to the HCA Florida University Hospital for answers. What began as a routine visit turned into a life-changing experience.
Following an MRI, Linda was diagnosed with neuropathy caused by significant spinal damage. Dr. Yoav Ritter, neurosurgeon at HCA Florida University Hospital, evaluation revealed that four of Linda’s spinal discs had lost fluid, causing severe nerve compression at the base of her neck.
To relieve the pressure on her spinal cord and address the root cause of her symptoms, Dr. Ritter performed an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF), a specialized neck surgery designed to restore function and mobility.
“This condition and procedure are fairly common,” said Dr. Ritter. “Many patients come to the emergency room or my office with tingling or numbness in parts of their body—and more often than not, the source of the issue is the spine but they don’t know that it’s the spine.”
Just seven weeks after surgery, Linda is well on her way to recovery, with her pain and numbness significantly reduced. She credits Dr. Ritter and the entire care team at HCA Florida University Hospital for giving her back a sense of normalcy.
“I feel like I have my life back,” said Linda. “Dr. Ritter and the team were amazing—attentive, compassionate, and incredibly skilled. I’m beyond grateful for the care I receive
Neurosurgeons at HCA Florida University Hospital use the most advanced minimally invasive and robotic techniques to perform highly specialized surgeries to treat brain, spine and nervous system conditions.
About HCA Florida University Hospital
HCA Florida University Hospital is a state-of-the-art, multi-specialty hospital that partners with top clinical leaders and use enhanced technology to deliver exceptional patient experiences. The comprehensive medical facility provides a full range of healthcare services to Davie, FL, and its surrounding communities, including 24/7 emergency care with board-certified emergency physicians, maternity, orthopedics, oncology, neurosciences, diagnostic services, imaging, and a full range of robotic and minimally invasive surgical services. HCA Florida University Hospital features all-private patient rooms. It is located adjacent to the campus of Nova Southeastern University in Broward County. For more information on HCA Florida University Hospital, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.
About HCA Florida Healthcare
HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is a family of more than 650 affiliated sites of care, including hospitals, physician practices, freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers. As one of the state’s leading healthcare networks, HCA Florida Healthcare’s 11,100 experienced doctors and more than 84,000 colleagues work together to deliver equitable, evidence-based collaborative care through more than 12 million patient encounters annually. HCA Florida Healthcare is committed to improving more lives in more ways and giving back to the communities it serves. In 2024, the network provided more than $1 billion in uncompensated care and contributed more than $3.7 million to community organizations across the state. In addition, HCA Florida Healthcare offers patients access to highly trained specialists, including the state’s most comprehensive cardiovascular network. A strong advocate for the next generation of healthcare professionals, HCA Florida Healthcare is a leader in in training future healthcare professionals, offering 151 Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs at 27 different hospitals with more than 2,400 residents. For more information, please visit HCAFloridaHealthcare.com.