Back and Spine Surgery

Back and Spine Conditions We Treat

Neurosurgeons treat issues causing chronic back pain as well as common and complex spine issues. These conditions include:

• Degenerative disc disease, including herniated discs, occurs when the spongy tissue cushioning between your spine bones wears away due to age or an injury
• Radiculopathy, a pinched nerve in the spine that causes numbness and muscle weakness
• Sciatica, pain due to issues with the sciatic nerve, which starts in the lower back and runs down the legs
• Spinal stenosis, narrowing of the spine that put pressure on nerves and other tissue
• Spinal tumors, abnormal growths that may or may not be cancerous
• Trauma, severe injuries affecting the spine bones (vertebrae) and spinal cord

• Complex spinal surgery: Neurosurgeons use advanced methods to care for challenging spinal disorders. Procedures include spinal reconstruction and fusing many vertebrae to improve spine stability.
• Spinal cord stimulations: This implantable device relieves chronic neck and back pain by delivering gentle electrical currents directly to the spine. Doctors and patients throughout the region put their trust in us because we perform a high volume of these procedures.
• Spine tumor care: Nuvance Health is among the few places in the region offering spinal tumor embolization. This technique blocks blood flow to tumors, making it safer to remove them surgically. Read more about spine tumors.

Minimally Invasive Back and Spine Surgery

Surgeons use techniques that maximize pain relief while minimizing disruption to healthy tissue. For some procedures, we gently push muscle and other soft tissue out of the way instead of cutting it. These techniques usually lead to a quicker recovery and return to daily activities.

Specialists also use the latest spinal surgery technologies for care that’s gentler on your body. Nuvance Health was among the first programs in the region using a surgical robot to help guide spinal fusion procedures. Care may include GPS-guided navigation to place screws and other surgical hardware the right spot.

Additional Back and Spine Treatments

You also have access to other back and spine procedures. Additional treatments available at Nuvance Health include:

• Discectomy relieves discomfort from herniated discs by removing the portion of tissue causing your symptoms.
• Laminectomy relieves compression on the spinal cord by removing a layer of tissue to create more space.
• Spinal fusion uses surgical-grade hardware to help two or more vertebrae grow together, eliminating movements that cause back pain.
• Spinal fusion revision surgery corrects complications, such as vertebrae that do not grow together after spinal fusion surgery.
• Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty treat small fractures in the vertebrae by filling these spaces with a cement-like substance.
• Total posterior spine surgery (TOPS™) is an alternative to spinal fusion surgery for certain people with stenosis, spondylolisthesis and related spine conditions in the lower back. The procedure can relieve the debilitating symptoms of these back problems, stabilize the spine and maintain a normal range of motion without fusing the bones of the spine together.
  

Looking for orthopedic spine care? Learn more here.