About Spinal
Surgeons
Spinal surgeons can have board certified specialties in either orthopedic surgery or neurosurgery. These surgeons correct anatomic spinal lesions, such as herniated discs and impinged nerve roots if non-invasive treatment has failed. Typical surgeries include microdiscectomies, laminectomies, and spinal fusions. Spinal surgery is not for every patient or every back problem. A surgeon should only be seen if nothing else has improved the pain.
Function
Patients who have back pain but no anatomical evidence for this pain are not candidates for spinal surgery. A spinal surgeon basically changes the anatomy of the spine in surgery. Typical goals of a spinal surgery are to release an impinged nerve, stabilize vertebrae via fusion or diminish a deformity.
Types
Both orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons -- either with Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degrees -- can be spinal surgeons. Both typically complete fellowships focused on spinal surgery but each are more suited towards some surgeries than others. For examples, neurosurgeons are usually more suited for excising tumors, while orthopedic surgeons are better for correcting spinal deformities.
Considerations
To be considered a spinal surgeon, a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon needs more than just a fellowship in spine surgery. Spinal surgeons also need at least 50 percent of their practice to consist of spine patients. Professional spine societies and associates, such as the North American Spine Society, have similar requirements for their members. Spinal surgery candidates should only choose a surgeon who does at least 50 percent of his surgeries on the spine.
Features
Spinal surgeons primarily perform the following surgical procedures: microdiscectomies, laminectomies, and spinal fusions. A microdiscectomy is usually performed for herniated discs and radiculopathy (pain that radiates down the leg). In this procedure, a small piece of bone and/or vertebral disc is removed to decompress an impinged nerve root. A laminectomy is the removal of the lamina and/or disc material to free up space around a nerve root. This is typically done to help alleviate spinal stenosis, a constriction of a nerve's passageway. Spinal fusion removes a vertebral disc and fuses the two vertebrae surrounding the disc together, restricting movement of the spine at this point. Candidates for a spinal fusion could have degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, or a fractured spine.
Misconceptions
Spinal surgeons do not and should not treat all patients with back pain. Spinal surgeons are typically seen as a last resort to help alleviate back and/or leg pain when all other non-invasive treatment options have been exhausted. Patients should also be aware that most spinal surgery is elective and rarely an absolute necessity. There are no guarantees that surgery will relieve the pain or that no other complications will occur. Patients need a referral from either their primary care physician or a chiropractor before they can discuss their treatment options with a surgeon. Even then, a spinal surgeon will try to exhaust all non-invasive treatment options before going over surgical considerations.
Tags: back pain, impinged nerve, non-invasive treatment, spinal surgeon, treatment options, About Spinal
