The Drug Addict is Not Who you Think
So many people have a picture in their heads of what a drug addict looks like, what their lives are like, and how they ended up with such a problem. A good portion of these people would be wrong. Instead of an unemployed, dirty hobo lying in an alley that most people picture, a good portion […]
Cervical Foraminotomy
What is Cervical Foraminotomy? In my prior blogs, we discussed cervical radiculopathy, or in simple terms, a pinched nerve in the neck. Usually, there is associated pain, numbness and tingling corresponding to the distribution of the pinched nerves functions. As we discussed before, these nerves can have a distribution of sensation called dermatomes, as well […]
Microdiscectomy Surgery
What exactly is Microdiscectomy? In the simplest terms, it means removal of disc material that is pinching a nerve, using small incisions and with magnification. In the United States, there is an average of 300,000 discectomy type surgeries performed per year. For the vast majority of patients, the reason for microdisectomy is PAIN, despite treatments such […]
Is Cervical (neck) Fusion Surgery Considered a Radical Solution?
Many people are both upset and frightened when their spine surgeon recommends a fusion as a solution to their neck problems. An anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), in the properly selected patient, has a very high success rate, with very satisfied patients. In our practice, patients who elect to have cervical fusion typically have […]
LUMBAR and CERVICAL EPIDURAL SPINAL INJECTIONS (ESI’s)
One treatment that is frequently recommended for patients with spine problems are epidural steroid injections (ESI’s). They are particularly effective for patients who have radiculopathy (nerve pain) and are thought of as ‘conservative care” though they are often done in surgery centers or small OR’s. Properly administered using fluoroscopy (live x-ray), a corticosteroid (Dexamethasone) is […]
Surgery Count Down
Surgery Count Down So you’ve made the decision. You are going to have surgery. Now you have to get ready. So many things have to be considered like, do you live alone? Is access to your house easy? What are you going to be able to do when you get home? Let’s talk… Surgery is […]
