Back Surgery

Is surgery for neck or back pain necessary? Sometimes. It is reasonable to consider spine surgery if the pain has not diminished after months of non-surgical treatment, if pain does not respond to medication, or if you're unable to complete basic daily activities. Some surgery options are minimally invasive (microdiscectomy for a herniated disc) and allow for quick recovery, while other types of surgery (a posterolateral fusion for degenerative disc disease) are more extensive.

Anterior view of an angled spine highlighting the lumbar spine.

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Anterior Approach to Spine Surgery

Today the anterior approach to lumbar spine fusion (or other spine surgery, such as the artificial disc) can be done with a minimally invasive approach.

Posterior view of the the cervical spine.

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Anterior Cervical Corpectomy Spine Surgery

Anterior cervical corpectomy is used when the removal of the vertebral body and the disc spaces is needed to completely decompress the cervical spinal canal.

Spinal Fusion showing rods and pedicle screws placed on the fused vertebrae

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Artificial Disc Replacement or Spinal Fusion: Which is Better for You?

Artificial disc replacement and lumbar spinal fusion are two surgical options for many patients with unremitting low back pain that has not gotten better with non-surgical treatments.

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Assertiveness Skills to Prepare for Back Surgery

The process of back surgery and postoperative recovery can bring up many stressful situations in which a patient's assertiveness skills will help him/her get good care.

Fusion shown in the posterior view of the cervical spine.

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Back Surgery and Neck Surgery Overview

The primary purpose of back surgery is to correct an anatomical lesion in individuals who fail to show improvement with conservative (nonsurgical) treatment.

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Benefits of Psychological Preparation for Back Surgery

Over the past thirty years, over 200 research studies with thousands of patients investigating psychological preparation for different kinds of surgery have identified several specific benefits

Posterior view of the upper back highlighting the spine.

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Causes of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Learn the various causes of failed back surgery syndrome. A comprehensive physical examination and appropriate diagnostic imaging techniques can often pinpoint the responsible pathology for the continued pain after surgery.

Posterior view of the spine with the cervical spine highlighted.

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Cervical Spinal Instrumentation

Instrumentation used for cervical spinal fusion surgery is designed to help provide greater stability for the spine after the procedure.

Posterior view of structural Anatomy of the neck with spinal cord highlighted

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Cervical Spine Surgery

Cervical spine surgery is generally performed on an elective basis to treat neck pain from nerve pinching (decompression surgery) or spinal instability (spine fusion surgery).