Treatments
Treatment options
Procedures are selected based on diagnosis, anatomy, prior treatment, medical fitness, and your goals. Below are concise educational summaries.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS)
Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) is a class of surgery that uses advanced technology to treat spine-related neck and back pain while minimizing injury to the patient.
Learn more →Microdiscectomy
A microdiscectomy, or simply discectomy, is a surgical procedure to treat a herniated disc.
Learn more →Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
ACDF stands for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. It is a surgical approach from the front of the neck to remove a slipped or ruptured disc, thus decompressing the spinal cord and nerves, followed by a fusion of the vertebrae to prevent future problems at that level.
Learn more →Posterior Spinal Fusion
Posterior spinal fusion surgery can be used to treat neck pain (Posterior Cervical Fusion, PCF) or lower back pain (Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, PLIF). Like the newer TLIF technique, PLIF is designed to treat the pain caused by the movement of the spinal vertebrae.
Learn more →Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF)
TLIF stands for Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This fusion surgery treats conditions affecting the lumbar spine. It is done when the vertebral bodies of the spine are out of alignment, either from a fracture, injury, or degeneration.
Learn more →Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF)
ALIF stands for Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. This fusion surgery treats conditions affecting the lumbar spine. It is designed to treat lower back pain caused by the movement of the spinal vertebrae.
Learn more →Laminectomy
A laminectomy is a procedure to remove the lamina, or the backmost parts of the vertebrae, to relieve pressure on the spinal canal and decompress the nerves.
Learn more →Corpectomy
A corpectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a damaged vertebra from your spine to alleviate pressure on your spinal cord or nerves. It is very similar to a discectomy, but used in cases when the damage is more severe.
Learn more →Balloon Kyphoplasty
Balloon kyphoplasty, or simply kyphoplasty, is a minimally invasive technique used to treat vertebrae that have lost their shape or stability and are creating pressure on the nerves. Kyphoplasty is done to repair fractures in the vertebrae, usually in patients with osteoporosis or following an injury.
Learn more →Spinal Cord Stimulation
A spinal cord stimulator is an electrical device surgically placed beneath the skin that is controlled by the patient via a remote. A stimulator can relieve pain, and may be used in conjunction with medication or individually. Patients undergo a trial period, usually a week long, before a permanent stimulator is implanted to ensure it will function as expected once under the skin.
Learn more →Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery differs from “traditional” surgery in that there is no incision made in the patient. Instead, the patient is first securely fastened (“stereotactic”) using straps or a cage. Next, advanced 3D imaging is used to target many lasers – each at a different angle – at the tumor. Each laser carries a low dosage of radiation and therefore does not harm the tissues it passes through, but when all of the lasers are focused on the tumor, the radiation is powerful enough to damage the cells’ DNA. As a result, the abnormal cells lose the ability to multiply and the tumor is destroyed.
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