Blog - Part 16

Cervical Spinal Fusion vs. Disc Replacement Surgery

Many of my patients first visit my practice with complaints of neck and arm pain, caused by a herniated disc. Although most episodes of neck pain are temporary, some patients experience chronic pain that ultimately requires surgery. Depending on the patient’s level of discomfort, there are two surgical options, cervical spinal fusion and disk replacement. When cervical spinal fusion surgery is performed, the affected bones in the neck are “fused” together using bone graft material with a plate and cage, so they can heal into one healthy bone. Bone grafts can be taken from a patient’s pelvic bone, or cadaver and synthetic bone are also options. Depending on the type of herniated disc and spinal stability, the spinal surgeon will determine the best method for surgery. These methods are anterior fusion, where the spine is operated on from the front, and posterior fusion, where the spine is operated on from the back. After cervical spinal fusion surgery, surgeons sometimes recommend wearing a brace to support the fusion progress. This is more important after a multi-level fusion. Maturation of the fusion can take up to 12 weeks. It is important for patients to limit their physical activity level and allow the

April 23, 2013

Jarvis Jones – Spinal Stenosis

I see patients in my practice with conditions ranging from neck and lower back pain to spinal fractures. From one patient to the next, the injury is never the same. This is most certainly the case with spinal stenosis, a condition that I often see and treat. Let’s start with what spinal stenosis is. It is a narrowing of the spinal canal that can occur anywhere along the length of the spine. The symptoms depend on what part of the spinal cord or nerve roots that are affected. Although spinal stenosis is more common in older patients due to the natural aging process, some people are born with a narrow spinal canal that lead to symptoms at a younger age. There are also patients who suffer from spinal stenosis because of other factors, such as trauma, which is common in athletes after sports-related injuries. With the NFL Draft quickly approaching, there’s a lot of conversation surrounding individual players. Conversations run the gamut of athletic strengths and weaknesses to individual character and football IQ. Injuries are a hot topic, as the media always wants to find a player’s weakness. Spinal injuries are always highlighted, as they are categorized as huge disadvantages.

April 16, 2013

All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Spinal Injuries on the Rise in Children and Adolescents

Emergency room visits, specifically spinal cord injuries, are becoming increasingly prevalent amongst children and adolescents. Unfortunately, this increase is occurring from those who use all-terrain vehicles, otherwise known as ATVs. For those of you who are unfamiliar, ATVs are 3 or 4-wheeled motorized vehicles that weigh up to 800 pounds and are popularly used for recreation. Although ATVs are not common on the streets of Manhattan, I am very familiar with the damage they create. There are thousands of ATV-related injuries amongst children and adolescents each year and reports of children as young as eight being treated for an ATV-related injury in an emergency room. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that there are approximately 2.2 million ATV riders under the age of 16. Countless medical organizations and physicians including myself have recommended that ATVs not be operated by anyone under the age of 16, but legally there is no way to prohibit usage. ATVs have a tendency to flip, making it especially easy for children to sustain spinal fractures from the impact. A study published in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics reinforces their danger, “The injury rate for children from ATV accidents has increased 240% since 1997” and

April 9, 2013

Scoliosis: When is Surgery Required?

Patients frequently come into my practice with the notion that surgery is the best cure to their scoliosis pain. How do you know that’s the best course of action? Well, that’s my job. Surgical decision making for scoliosis is multi-factorial, and we assess many different parameters in coming to the right decision for each patient. The Scoliosis Research Society estimates that approximately 1 in 40, or 7 million people are affected by scoliosis in the United States alone, making it an extremely prevalent condition. Unfortunately it most often develops in children, particularly female adolescents between the ages of 10 and 15. To properly cure scoliosis, the treatment must match the source of the problem. Here are some of the main factors I consider when discussing if surgery is right for a patient with scoliosis: Degree: How large is the curve measurement? Spinal Maturity: Is the spine still growing? Location: Do you have a thoracic (upper spine) curve, a thoracolumbar (middle spine) curve or lumbar (lower spine) curve? Progression: Is the curve likely to worsen? Is the curve painful? What is your age and medical condition? Has there been prior surgery? Do you have osteoporosis? My recommendation for surgery is based

April 2, 2013

More Content | Blog

Cervical Spinal Fusion vs. Disc Replacement Surgery

Jarvis Jones – Spinal Stenosis

All-Terrain Vehicle-Related Spinal Injuries on the Rise in Children and Adolescents

Scoliosis: When is Surgery Required?