Doctors diagnosed the problem as a bony growth between his fifth and sixth vertebrae, requiring surgery.
dˈɑːktɚz dˌaɪəɡnˈoʊzd ðə pɹˈɑːbləm æz ɐ bˈoʊni ɡɹˈoʊθ bᵻtwˌiːn hɪz fˈɪfθ ænd sˈɪksθ vˈɜːɾɪbɹˌiː, ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚɹɪŋ sˈɜːdʒɚɹi.