re: Looking For Back Surgeon Input

Dallas

Microsurgery

You have bulging disc and herniations, but also having nerve ablations as part of the treatment? Why the nerve ablations? What type of back surgery are the doctors recommending?

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I dealt with lumbar spinal stenosis at the L-4 L-5 vertebrae,along with herniation of the disc and arthritis for over 6 years. I had the epidural injections, radio frequency ablation therapy, all are just a bandaid, only temporary. I reached out to Laser Spine Institute back in February, March 16 2017 I had Dr Reginald Davis do a hemilaminectomy surgery to fix this problem. I was up and walking a hour after the surgery and going on 3rd week of the healing pprocess, and I feel great!!! The cost wasn't too hateful at a modest 15,500$,out of pocket.

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Did they explain how they did the laminectomy with a laser or did they just take your 15k and preform a MIS laminectomy through a tube?

The nerve ablation is to burn the nerve to block the pain coming from where? Not the bulging disc, right? Not the herniated disc, right? Did some doctor tell you the facet joints were the source of your pain and that the Nerve ablation/ RFA was a treatment option for the same?

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Message Looking For Back Surgeon Input by Roscoe The nerve ablation is to burn the nerve to block the pain coming from where? Not the bulging disc, right? Not the herniated disc, right? Did some doctor tell you the facet joints were the source of your pain and that the Nerve ablation/ RFA was a treatment option for the same?

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Your post makes no sense

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Looking For Back Surgeon InputFirst and foremost you need to understand the experience of who you go to see. There are Ortho Spine guys and Neurosurgeons. An Ortho Spine guy is a Orthopedic surgeon that did a 1 year spine fellowship after graduating ortho residency. Neurosurgeons do a 7 year residency program in strictly neurosurgical prodecdures and more than likely another year in fellowship doing specialized procedures such as spine tumors, skull base, functional, epilepsy etc....so your neurosurgeons are generally much more experienced when it comes to spine surgery and any complications such as nerve decompression, dural tears, etc.....there are some Ortho Spine guys that specialize in one specific procedure and get really good however generally speaking they are nearly as experienced as a good neurosurgeon in private practice. I can honestly say that I can only think of 1 Ortho Spine guy locally who I would let touch me or my loved ones. On the other hand I can name 12 or more neurosurgeons in my local area that I would gladly recommend to anyone,

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You are right. In picking your surgeon, you need to understand their experiences and qualifications. That said, I would have no hesitation picking an orthopedic spine surgeon who has been in practice for 15-20 years performing these specialized surgeries over a NS who is at the beginning of their practice, but had a more specialized and longer residency program.

At the end of the day, there are great orthopedic spine surgeons, just like their are great NS spine surgeons. And the opposite is true, just like there are bad ortho spine surgeons, same can be said for NS spine surgeons - regardless of the fact that they may have had a longer residency program.

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At the end of the day, there are great orthopedic spine surgeons, just like their are great NS spine surgeons. And the opposite is true, just like there are bad ortho spine surgeons, same can be said for NS spine surgeons - regardless of the fact that they may have had a longer residency program.

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I agree but given the choice of a good Ortho Spine guy and a good Neurosurgeon that are both recommended for a certain procedure I would go with the good neurosurgeon hands down because if there are complications they will generally be able to handle it themselves (for example you have end up with a CSF leak a neurosurgeon won't hesitate to do a lumbar drain himself....most Ortho spines will call either an anesthesiologist or a neurosurgeon to place it). Now the key caveat is the old "buyer be ware" because there are quacks & hacks in every discipline and if you know a HCP they may let you peak behind the curtain....

Most surgeons will specialize in certain procedures such as cervical or lumbar. Perfect case in point is there is a rather experienced Neuro I know that would be my first choice for cervical but would never let him touch thoracic or heaven help anyone if he needed to crack the grape. I also know an Ortho Spine guy who I would have no problem going to for Thoracic or Lumbar issues but NEVER for cervical (if you ever want to see full on pucker factor put a skull clamp in most Ortho Spine guys hands and say "pin this guy").

That is my assumption as well. The first nerve burn was for the bone spurs on my facet joints. The second was for the same but didn't relieve pain which leads me to believe that my discs have gotten worse to the point that the pain in that joint is no longer limited to the bone spurs.
This is what me and Dr Graham aren't on the same page about and the reason I'll go get another opinion if this round of injections doesn't work. I'm damn sick of hurting all the time as well as sick of taking pain killers 2-3 times per day.