Common Spine and Neck Procedures

Artificial Disc Replacement

Artificial disc replacement is a promising procedure for patients suffering from degenerative disc disease. Degenerative disc disease causes back and leg pain when the nerves near the affected disc become swollen. Sometimes the damaged disc can no longer absorb stress to the spine, which causes the spine to become unstable. In this procedure, herniated or damaged discs are replaced with artificial ones. This can be performed in the lower back or neck. The artificial disc is held in place by ligaments in the spine, remaining parts of the original disc, and the force of compression from the spine itself.

Discography

Discography is a medical procedure our doctors us to help diagnose back problems in our patients. We commonly use discography for surgical planning prior to a lumbar fusion.

In this diagnostic procedure, a dye is injected into the soft center of a spinal disc. During the procedure, one of our doctors will look at the amount of pressure needed to inject the dye into the disc, whether it causes pain that is the same as your regular pain, how much dye is used, and how the dye appears on X-ray after it is inside the disc.

Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a procedure used to reduce pain. An electrical current produced by a radio wave is used to heat up a small area of nerve tissue, which in turn decreases pain signals from that specific area. Our doctors use RFA to help patients with chronic low-back and neck pain, as well as pain related to the degeneration of joints from arthritis.

Spinal Cord Stimulator

Spinal cord stimulation is an FDA-approved treatment option for patients whose back or neck pain has not been relieved by back surgery or other treatments.

Spinal cord stimulation, also called neurostimulation, directs mild electrical pulses to interrupt pain messages from reaching the brain. A small device implanted near the spine generates these pulses. The implanted device used in spinal cord stimulation is similar to a cardiac pacemaker, giving the device the nickname "pacemaker for pain".

Spinal Injections

When a patient's back pain just won’t go away, our specialists may consider spinal injections to ease back pain and inflammation. These shots usually consist of a steroid and a numbing medicine. A spinal injection may include a short-term nerve block or a longer lasting epidural.

Spine Surgery

Our surgeons perform many types of spine surgery to treat neck and spine issues. These surgeries can include lumbar spine fusions, posterior cervical fusions, artificial disc replacement, and thoracic spine surgery.