Surgery

56 Things to Do While Recovering from Surgery

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:43:11 -0700

About to undergo surgery?

6 Sites for Checking Out Your Hospital

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 14:20:59 -0700

Are you scheduled for back surgery or considering it? In addition to a thorough check of your surgeon, you should probably check out your hospital too. While the surgeon is arguably the key factor in the procedure itself, the hospital staff, environment, and guidelines can impact things like choice of medication and use of antibiotics – choices that can cause variances among different hospitals, such as post-op infection rates for back surgery patients.

6 Things to Know About Cervical Artificial Discs

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:00:35 -0700

In mid-July, the FDA gave final approval for Medtronic to make the first ever cervical artificial disc commercially available in the U.S.: the Prestige Cervical Disc.

Are Cadaver Bone Grafts Safe?

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 18:50:23 -0700

Not too long ago there were numerous articles concerning the illegal harvesting of non-donated cadaveric bone graft. Normally, patients need to be screened before being harvested and conditions such as infection or bone tumors need to excluded from the donor pool. There is a relative shortage of donor bodies, and this has led to a black market of bone harvesters.

Back Surgery Best for Patients with Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:53:41 -0700

The recently released results of the second SPORT study showed that patients who selected surgery to treat their lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis had better outcomes when compared with those who selected nonsurgical treatment. The study included two groups of patients:

Back Surgery Post Op Recovery Tips

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:40:50 -0700

The entire surgical process – from deciding to have surgery through recovery – can be a thoroughly stressful time. To help reduce your stress levels as much as possible, here’s a checklist of what you’ll need while recovering from surgery, both in the hospital and while recuperating at home.

Cervical Artificial Discs: Valuable New Technology or Fashion?

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:55:19 -0700

Spine surgery, like many other areas of medicine that are experiencing rapid technological growth, is often subject to fashion trends. At this period in time, the fashion is tilted towards motion preservation technology – both in the lumbar spine (low back) and cervical spine (neck).

CMS Proposes Denial of Coverage for Artificial Disc Replacement

spine-health — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:38:30 -0700

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed that lumbar artificial disc replacement “is not reasonable and necessary for the Medicare population over sixty years of age.”

First Cervical Disc Replacement Surgery with ProDisc-C

spine-health — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:01:34 -0800

The very first ProDisc-C surgery was performed last week since the FDA approved the device in December 2007.

How and When to Get a Second Opinion Before Surgery

spine-health — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 16:39:46 -0700

It is often said that no one should have spine surgery unless they receive a second opinion from another surgeon. On the surface, this would sound like good old common sense, as two opinions are better than one. However, there is a trap in this line of thinking. When a patient sees a physician for a second opinion, this next opinion has a tendency to always sound smarter than the first opinion. This is a well-recognized phenomenon, but in reality the second opinion may not be the best one.

When should you get another opinion?

How I Decided to Have Back Surgery

spine-health — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:44:19 -0800

This is my story about having back surgery that went very well. I think the key for me is that the surgery was done for the right reasons, I had researched my surgeon by talking to other patient’s of his who had the same spinal fusion done, and I had read up on the Internet on some good sites, including www.spine-health.com, to help with my decision to have surgery and help with my expectations.

How to Help your Surgeon Help You

Tue, 01 May 2007 19:12:52 -0700

Anyone who has experienced chronic low back pain knows how frustrating it can be to find a doctor to help. From a surgeon's perspective, I often see patients who have seen multiple other doctors and physical therapists and have not had relief of their pain. (After all, if non-surgical treatment was working they wouldn't be coming to me to get a surgical opinion in the first place.)

Incredibly Effective Ways to Check Out Your Surgeon

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 19:38:44 -0700

When it comes to selecting a surgeon, I'll take skill over personality anytime. But the $64,000 question is, how do you assess a surgeon's skill? When you buy a new TV or vacuum cleaner, you can rely on Consumer Reports and talk to friends who have the same model. But there's no "Consumer Reports" for doctors, and it's infinitely harder to find someone you know and trust who has had the same surgery for the same condition.

Laser Disc Decompression for Spinal Stenosis: Does it Work?

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 15:46:34 -0700

As a practicing spine surgeon, I am often asked by patients if their disc decompression surgery can be done with a laser. There is a perception by the general population that lasers are a modern, almost futuristic, up and coming technology. The reality is that lasers have been around for a long time and are almost completely useless when it comes to spine surgery.

Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement Not Covered In People Over 60

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 12:00:42 -0700

Medicare has decided it will not pay for lumbar artificial disc replacements in people over 60 years of age. The reasoning for the CMS' (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) decision is the lack of data on using such devices in the 60+ population, according to Scott Boden, MD, a Spine-health.com Medical Advisor.

Lumbar Herniated Disc: Is Surgery Better?

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 12:04:33 -0700

A very large study, the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT) has recently concluded and found that both surgical and non-surgical treatments tend to help patients with pain from a lumbar herniated disc. Due to problems with the study design, however, it is difficult to say much more than that.

New Back Surgery Technologies

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:15:46 -0800

Technological developments in spine are occurring at an ever increasing rate, but what does this mean for patients? To date, most new technologies have involved reducing the postoperative pain and speeding recovery, and lately, technologies to preserve motion in the spine (as opposed to a fusion).

Often, new technology represents more of a marketing tool for physicians than a true advancement in patient outcomes.

Rules

spine-health — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 19:08:08 -0700

Solicitation or advertising for products, services, other websites or companies is not permitted on this blog.

Please note the obligatory disclaimer that this blog and any information on Spine-health.com is not a substitute for medical advice, and that you need to contact your doctors with any specific questions.

Sometimes Surgery is Quickest Path to Sciatica Pain Relief

spine-health — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 17:09:10 -0700

For severe sciatica pain, surgery is a valid option for pain relief, a new study shows. But researchers are also quick to point out that the study showed that typical sciatica will not worsen if surgery is delayed -- and that nonsurgical treatments can relieve at least some of the pain, especially leg pain.

The study, published in the May 31 New England Journal of Medicine, compared surgical treatment of back and leg pain (sciatica) caused by disc herniation.

Spinal Fusion Vs. Universal Healthcare

spine-health — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:07:54 -0700

Jonah Lehrer takes an interesting look at the issue of the expense of spinal fusion - usually about $50,000 for a surgery - and the mixed reports over whether or not it has any real therapeutic benefit.

Surgery best for degenerative spondylolisthesis

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:59:36 -0700

Randomized group – 304 patients

Surgery for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Provides More Pain Relief than Nonsurgical Treatment

Stephanie — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:45:33 -0700

Surgery is more effective than nonsurgical treatment in providing pain relief for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis, new study results find.

Think Carefully About your Surgeon's Recommendations

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 17:26:57 -0700

Spinal fusion surgery for low back pain has gotten quite a bad reputation for delivering poor results. Because it is a painful, dangerous, and costly surgery, spine fusion should only be offered for the most severe symptoms and clearly defined pathology, but sadly this is not always the case.

Top Ten Reasons You Should Run from Your Surgeon

Tue, 08 May 2007 18:36:12 -0700

Read this before selecting a surgeon to operate on your back.