Spine surgery advices from Dr. Serge Obukhoff right now? What is the difference between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon? Other healthcare providers often consult neurosurgeons due to their extensive training on the nervous system. A neurologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses, treats and manages conditions that affect your nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves). A neurologist doesn’t perform surgery. A neurosurgeon diagnoses and treats nervous system conditions through both surgical and nonsurgical therapies. See additional details at Serge Obukhoff MD.
In addition, we treat people who have neck and back injuries, spinal deformities, congenital spine disorders, herniated discs, spinal stenosis and sciatica. What should you look for in a good spine surgeon? A good spine surgeon is dedicated to patient care and excellent outcomes, and is willing to learn new approaches and techniques while gaining expertise in standard approaches and techniques. A spine surgeon should also be a good communicator who is willing to spend time explaining their reason for surgery as well as the treatment options they offer.
When should I consider back surgery? According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the following conditions may be candidates for surgical treatment: Herniated or ruptured disks, in which one or more of the disks that cushion the bones of the spine are damaged, Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, Spondylolisthesis, in which one or more bones in the spine slip out of place, vertebral fractures caused by injury to the bones in the spine or by osteoporosis, Degenerative disk disease, or damage to spinal disks as a person gets older. In rare cases, back pain is caused by a tumor, an infection, or a nerve root problem called cauda equina syndrome. In these cases, NIAMS advises surgery right away to ease the pain and prevent more problems.
Whether minimally invasive or traditional, the goals are the same for the long-term; we want to accomplish overall improvement in symptoms or a halt in degeneration. Ultimately, we want our procedures to result in less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, lower infection rates and faster recovery in the weeks following surgery. Minimally invasive surgery typically results in an easier recovery process for patients, however, not every patient or surgical condition is appropriate for minimally invasive surgery. It is important that you partner with your spine surgeon to identify the best treatment option for your condition.
Even with a successful surgery, the recovery time can be long. Depending on the type of surgery and your condition before the surgery, healing may take months. And you may lose some flexibility permanently. What are the considerations for anesthesia during surgery? Back surgery will almost always be performed under general anesthesia. In addition to the usual risks associated with anesthesia, there are risks associated with the patient lying face down on the surgical table.