St. Mary’s Ambulatory Surgery Center partners with a team of expert spine specialists to provide advanced care for back, neck and spinal disorders. This team consists of Neurosurgeons, Orthopedic Spine Surgeons, and Pain Management Specialists.

Back pain is the most common cause of disability. Experts estimate that almost 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives.

Our Spine Specialists:

Our comprehensive spine team will work to develop a treatment plan that may include both non-invasive procedures and minimally invasive surgical treatments. The expert specialists on staff at St. Mary’s Ambulatory Surgery Center use state-of-the-art techniques and equipment to perform a wide array of minimally invasive surgical procedures, including:

Spine-Laminectomies

Spinal laminectomy is also called “spinal decompression” and is a procedure that allows a physician to improve or eliminate the symptom of pain by removing the back part of the spinal vertebra that covers the spinal canal and relieve pressure on the affected nerve.

Often these vertebrae are affected by other diseases or conditions, such as arthritis, which causes an overgrowth of bone, also called bone spurs. This overgrowth of bone is what causes the extra pressure on the nerves in the spinal canal.

Spinal laminectomy is used when other, more conservative treatments have not worked. Other treatments may include:

• Physical therapy and/or exercise
• Pain medications or injections

This procedure will reduce or eliminate the pain caused by the abnormal growths of bone, but it will not cure the cause of the bone overgrowth. Over time, the procedure may need to be repeated on other parts of the spine due to disease like arthritis or simply due to the aging process.

During a spinal laminectomy, the physician will make an incision over the affected area of the back to access the spine. This surgery is typically done as minimally invasive surgery and requires only small incisions. Minimally invasive surgery, like spinal laminectomy, can offer many benefits compared to traditional surgical methods, including:

• Smaller incisions
• Decreased risk of infection
• Less blood loss
• Faster recovery
• Less pain

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is a surgery performed to eliminate or reduce chronic back pain or neck pain due to issues or diseases of the discs. The cervical spine refers to the bones that run from the top of the back to the base of the skull, making up the bones of the neck. Between each cervical vertebrae (spine bone), there is a cushion called a vertebral disc. These discs keep the bones of the spine from rubbing against each other. When the disc is compromised, injured, or diseased, they can move from their place between the bones or no longer exist. This friction between the now-touching bones is what causes so much pain and discomfort.

Discs may be herniated or degenerated from disease and can often times cause severe and on-going pain. During an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, a surgeon accesses the spine through the front of the neck and removes the affected disc or removes old disc tissue (if necessary). He or she will then fill the space with artificial disc material to create a new cushion between the bones. After the disc is replaced, they will fuse the spine together using a plate and screws to ensure stability. This procedure generally provides excellent relief from pain or eliminates pain completely.

Microdiscectomies

Microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to eliminate or reduce back pain caused by a herniated lumbar disc.

The lumbar part of the back is the lower back just above the pelvis. Between each bone in the spine (spinal vertebrae) are cushiony discs that keep the vertebrae from rubbing together, which is painful. A herniated disc is also called a slipped disc. When a disc is herniated, it is very painful and can interfere with daily activities and quality of life.

During a microdiscectomy, a surgeon will use small incisions rather than one large incision to access the affected area of the spine. He or she will then remove the affected disc tissue and relieve pressure on the nerve causing the pain, and the small incision is closed with a few stitches.

Minimally invasive surgeries, like Microdiscectomy, can offer many benefits compared to traditional surgical methods, including:

• Smaller incisions
• Decreased risk of infection
• Less blood loss
• Faster recovery
• Less pain