Experienced neurosurgeons at The Advanced Brain and Spine Institute at Ascension Sacred Heart diagnose and treat many types of neck and back injuries and conditions. Your neurosurgeon works with a team of specialists and is part of an integrated national network of doctors, sharing best practices, knowledge and research while delivering advanced care close to home. Your care team has the expertise to help find the cause of your symptoms and deliver a treatment plan that helps relieve pain, increase movement and improve your quality of life. And, we connect you with advanced rehabilitation and support after surgery.
A leader in spine surgery
Spine surgery may be an option if you have chronic back or neck pain that hasn’t gotten better with other treatment, such as injections, medication or non-invasive therapy. Your doctor works with you to create a personalized care plan. Some spinal conditions that may require surgery include:
- Back pain
- Broken or fractured vertebra
- Cervical disk disease
- Herniated disk
- Infection
- Neck pain
- Sciatica (nerve pain in your lower back and down your leg)
- Scoliosis (curved spine) and other spinal deformities
- Spine infection
- Spinal instability (spondylolisthesis)
- Spinal stenosis or narrowing of the spinal canal
- Spinal tumor and cancer
- Spondylosis (age related degeneration of the spine)
Minimally invasive spine surgery
When spine surgery is recommended as part of your care plan, experienced neurosurgeons at The Advanced Brain and Spine Institute at Ascension Sacred Heart use the latest spine surgery techniques. The Advanced Brain and Spine Institute is a leader in minimally invasive and complex spinal surgery. Whenever possible, minimally invasive procedures are recommended. These procedures use smaller incisions and cause less disruption to the spine. They may also lead to less pain and a shorter recovery. And our spine surgeons are experienced in advanced neurosurgery and spine surgery techniques.
During your surgery, your surgeon may use neurophysiological monitoring. This special type of monitoring watches your brain, spine and nerve function in real time during an operation. By monitoring your nervous system, we are able to make precise adjustments during your surgery to help improve outcomes.
From preparation for surgery through recovery, you are connected with specialists in physical rehabilitation. We focus on neuro-rehabilitation therapies to help safely increase your muscular strength and flexibility.
Types of spine surgery include:
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (neck surgery to remove nerve pressure)
- Cervical disk replacement
- Cervical laminectomy (surgery to help relieve pressure from a narrow spinal canal in the neck)
- Cervical laminoforaminotomy and discectomy (a procedure used to remove bone spurs)
- Intrathecal continuous medication devices (implanting a pump to deliver medication)
- Lumbar laminectomy (removing part of the spinal bone in the lower back)
- Lumbar microdiscectomy (surgery for a herniated disc)
- Posterior cervical spine fusion (joining two more more vertebrae together)
- Spinal cord stimulation (uses low levels of electricity to help relieve pain)
- Spinal tumor removal
- Thoracic discectomy (removal of a herniated disc)
- Thoracic laminectomy (surgery to help relieve pressure on the spinal cord)
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Complex spinal deformity surgery
For spinal deformity, advanced surgical care is often recommended. The Advanced Brain and Spine Institute is the Gulf Coast's leader in spinal deformity surgery. Before your procedure, you will have a pre-surgery evaluation. We take the time to explain the procedure and answer your questions. During surgery, you have a dedicated surgical care team, including neuroanesthesia specialists. And if you need advanced care after surgery, you are connected to our Neuroscience intensive care unit (Neuro-ICU) – the only Neuro-ICU in the region. Using some of the latest technology and surgical techniques, we deliver advanced care for even the most complex spinal care needs.
Surgical treatments include:
- Advanced spinal reconstruction
- Cervical kyphosis correction (surgery to correct a curved neck)
- Flatback syndrome correction
- Adult degenerative scoliosis surgery
- Adult iatrogenic scoliosis surgery
- Revision spinal surgery in cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine
- Correction of congenital spinal deformities
- Treatment of complex traumatic deformities
- Pelvic fixation surgery
Helping you prepare for spine surgery
Your neurosurgeon will talk with you before your surgery to help you prepare for your procedure. You may need to stop taking some medications before the procedure, such as blood thinners and aspirin. If you smoke, you will need to stop smoking before surgery. Talk with your doctor about the right diet and exercise before your surgery to best support your recovery. Your care team will also tell you about any restrictions for eating and drinking before surgery.
Depending on the type of surgery you are having, your surgeon may recommend that you have a pre-surgery evaluation. This appointment may include a physical exam and other tests. Our goal is to help make sure you are prepared to have anesthesia and that you have a pre-surgery plan customized for your health needs.
There are also things you can do at home to prepare for surgery, such as adjusting your bed height, clearing walkways, making sure you have essential items and more. Your care team will help you prepare your home to help make your recovery smoother.
What to expect after spine surgery
After surgery, your physical therapist will evaluate your needs, create a care plan for rehabilitation and make sure you are prepared to go home. Your therapist will also help you with walking devices such as a cane or walker, if needed. Working with you and your care team, your physical therapist can help determine the level of physical therapy you may need to recover.
Get a second opinion from a neurosurgeon at Ascension Sacred Heart
Get the confidence and peace of mind that your doctor and care plan are right for you. It's easy to get a second opinion at The Advanced Brain and Spine Institute at Ascension Sacred Heart. We can review your medical records and healthcare history to answer your questions and discuss options. Talk with one of our doctors about a personalized care plan.
When you are experiencing pain from an injury or symptoms of a spine condition, there’s a lot to think about. We can discuss both therapeutic or surgical treatment plans. Our team of highly experienced neurosurgeons can provide you with a second opinion based on experience and as part of an integrated national network of care.
Before your appointment, check with your insurance company to find out if a second opinion is covered. We can request your medical records from your doctor on your behalf, so that they can be shared with your care team before your arrival.
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Financial assistance and support is available
We can connect you with resources and programs that may be able to help you and your family with options for financial assistance. Our financial counseling team is here to listen to your concerns and work with you to help find options that meet your needs.
Insurance coverage for surgery
Talk with your doctor or insurance provider about insurance coverage options for having spine surgery. Surgery may be covered by various insurance plans as well as Medicare. First, you may need to be evaluated by a neurosurgeon.
Frequently asked questions
