Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi will undergo a spine surgery today at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College Hospital and Research Institute.

The team of doctors, comprising an orthopaedic surgeon from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Dr. Arvind Jaiswal, decided to perform the operation as the CM had no relief in the pain caused by a muscle strain.

The decision was taken after performing an MRI scan.

A senior doctor said, “Several surgical modalities and options were discussed. But we decided to do minimal intervention to relieve him of pain. We will be removing the tissues and the disc which is causing him pain.”

The surgery, which is likely to begin at 6 am, will take around three hours.

A 14-member group of experienced doctors led by orthopaedics expert Dr. S S K Marthandam has been formed to keep an eye on CM’s physical condition.

While there will be four surgeons and four anesthetists inside OT (operation theatre), the remaining medical panel will be available at the hospital.

The doctors also said that if the operation goes off according to the plan, Mr. Karunanidhi can start walking in one or two days.

The spine surgery is unlikely to disturb his regular work, except that he may have to stay in hospital for about a week.

Karunanidhi was admitted to the hospital a fortnight ago with severe back pain. He was given an epidural injection on Feb 4, a day after he came out of the hospital briefly to lead the DMK’s executive committee meeting on Sri Lankan Tamils issue.