With October designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is the perfect time to talk about breast cancer and spine surgery. Breast cancer is by far the most common disease in women. Metastatic breast cancer remains an incurable disease, with the spinal column one of the most likely areas to be affected by metastases. Many times, involving a spine care surgical specialist significantly extends patient survival time.
Recently I gave a webinar attended by worker’s compensation nurse case managers and adjusters on “Safety in Spine Surgery During the Covid Era.” There are many important COVID and safety issues that are, and will continue to, impact Worker’s Comp case management. A few highlights from the talk are below, including important statistics to serve as spine care decision making tools.
Today we observe World Mental Health Mental Day. Unfortunately, mental health of spine patients is not something often addressed when treating a patient. Yet it is an aspect of care that each physician should take into consideration, especially when treating patients with a spinal injury.
Almost everyone will have a minor back or neck problem at one time in their life. And, generally, the movements of our body do not cause problems. It is the not surprising everyday wear and tear, overuse &/or injury cause pain symptoms to surface. Back problems and injuries also often occur during sports, recreational activities, work-related tasks or various home projects.
Did you know September is Pain Awareness Month? This month we focus on education around the various aspects of acute and chronic pain, pain management and pain treatment.
Once only a futuristic thought, augmented reality in surgery may be upon us sooner than you think. The days of robots, scanners and headsets feeding doctors information to drive safety for spine surgical patients is here. Augmedics has released the first FDA approved augmented reality technology to allow spine surgeons to now see the entire spine through the surface of the patient.
The importance of providing a safe environment for patients has taken on new meaning in the era of COVID-19. And, while I have previously written extensively on safety in spine surgery, the process and procedures become even more crucial to providing reproducibly good surgical outcomes for patients, with low complication rates.
Orthopaedic surgery mask requirements may be more specialized due to the physical nature of many of the specialty’s procedures. This article provides a general overview of different medical mask options. As published in AAOS Now.
There are many aspects to preparing for back surgery, especially in this time of cautious return to elective surgery. Not all patients need every component. Every patient can benefit from putting together a set question and prep list. This is an incredibly helpful tool for patients and your doctor.
Neck pain associated with arm numbness and pain (cervical radiculopathy) are a common reason a patient seeks help. Many times this neck and arm pain can also accompany weakness or difficulty manipulating the fingers to do common tasks, such as buttoning a shirt. Most patients see significant improvement through nonsurgical methods including medications, physical therapy, targeted pain injections and time. However, when these do not improve symptoms, surgery may need to be considered.
The more virus particles you are exposed to, the more likely you are to become infected. Therefore, it stands to reason that the more people we encounter, the higher our risk of virus transmission. Shopping for groceries is when people will likely encounter the highest number of people during the pandemic. So, are you safe when shopping? What about if you need to have surgery?
The trauma of a workplace injury is challenging and stressful, especially when you cannot go into your doctor’s office or receive in-person treatments. It is my goal to do all I can to relieve as much stress as possible from this process by working with you to keep you on the path to recovery. Injured workers continue to receive priority treatment by my team in telemedicine scheduling. I will perform as detailed an examination as possible, in order to evaluate necessary diagnostic testing and the most effective course of treatment. Here are some FAQs regarding treatment during COVID-19.
The three-part webinar series features a panel discussion with Dr. Han Jo Kim, Dr. David Okonkwo, Dr. Nitin Khanna, and Dr. Bobby Kalantar on ‘the road to recovery’ and how we move forward and provide care to those in need. In part 2, the panel discusses important considerations to OR protocols, patient selection and sentiment—and other important operational measures.
The three-part webinar series features a panel discussion with Dr. Han Jo Kim, Dr. David Okonkwo, Dr. Nitin Khanna, and Dr. Bobby Kalantar on ‘the road to recovery’ and how we move forward and provide care to those in need. In part 1, the panel discusses critical success factors for re-opening and providing care to patients, including specific considerations from the panel and their respective health systems.
Dr. Khanna recently published an article in the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery as a call to action for a safe return to elective orthopedic surgery in this new era of COVID-19.
Many patients are referred to their healthcare system to see a specialist. It is important patients be aware of their options so they can choose a surgeon that best fits their circumstances and needs. When choosing the right spine surgeon, you should take the following into account.
This is a time to fundamentally alter our approach to spine care. As of Monday, March 30th, I initiated a TeleSpine interface and began seeing patients via their mobile phone, tablet or computer. Technology will allow increased availability and convenience for new and existing patients, as well as patients seeking a second opinion.
I'm talking to a number of individuals noting lower back pain. So what can this mean?
Lumbar stenosis is one of more common diagnosis. This results from a narrowing of the spine. And the narrowing is often due to: bone spur formation, arthritis, thickening of the ligaments in the spine and possible bulging of discs. The condition can also be caused by what is known as neurogenic claudication, which is an impingement or inflammation of the nerves emanating from the spinal cord, originating at a nerve.
Symptoms include back pain and sciatica. This can then result in leg pain with possible weakness, numbness and tingling. And, standing up straight is often difficult, so many tend to stand slightly bent over. While an MRI is needed for a definitive diagnosis, helping you assess and manage your pain effectively now is important, as well as discussing other treatment options. You can schedule a TeleSpine appointment to discuss your lower back pain and symptoms.
Your surgeon should tell you if you are a candidate for an MIS option to treat your spine condition. However, there are still situations in which a MIS surgery may not be as safe, or effective, as the traditional surgical approach. As the patient, it is important to be informed about the risks and benefits of your surgical options.