Spine surgeons treat a variety of spine conditions, such as disc herniations, fractures, or spinal stenosis. Often, the location in the spine is included in the name of the condition. The causes of these conditions often varies but often result from disease, trauma, or degeneration.
Typical Procedures Performed
Surgical options depend on the condition and its location and severity, as well as other factors like your medical history and general health. To avoid risks to your safety or potential treatment side effects, your doctor may not recommend certain procedures. Every person’s condition and anatomy are different, so you may not be a candidate for some procedures. Spinal fusion, foraminotomy, discectomy, and laminectomy procedures are some of the procedures utilized by spine surgeons. However, the method and approach used to perform these and other procedures varies depending on the condition, its location, and other factors.
Traditional spine surgery involves long, deep cuts through muscles, which can leave long scars and require an extended amount of healing time. Advancements in technology and surgical instrumentation has made it possible to perform some procedures in a less invasive manner. In minimally invasive spine surgery, a small incision is made, and then a series of tubular dilators is inserted in order to widen the opening to grant surgeons access to the area without cutting muscle tissue. Because the muscle tissue is spread apart rather than cut, it is able to close back after surgery is complete.
Dr. Hopkins performs these surgeries, as well as others. Please visit our Patient Education section to learn more.
- Herniated Disc Surgery (Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar)
- Lamina Procedures (Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar)
- Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion (Anterior, Posterior, PLIF, TLIF, and Lateral)
- Spinal Revision Surgery
- Motion Preservation, Artificial Disc Replacement (Cervical and Lumbar)
- Spinal Reconstructive Surgery for Spinal Deformities