Neurovascular Conditions

The spine is one of the most complex areas of the human body. It allows us to stand, twist, bend and so much more. Because your spine is involved in every type of movement, injuries are common and need to be treated for normal function to be restored.

Advancements in spine surgery have made treatments more safe and effective. Additionally, people who need these procedures don't have to travel to the city for the latest technology; they can find it in their own community at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. "We perform a large number of spine treatments -- including some of the most complex," says Robert Kazan, MD, director of neurosciences with Adventist Hinsdale Hospital. "We have the capability of performing the types of spinal procedures that were previously only done at university hospitals."

Endoscopic discectomy repairs herniated discs
The spine is made up of building blocks called vertebrae that allow us to move with ease. Between each of the vertebrae are discs, which cushion the spine and minimize the impact of movement on the spinal column. A herniated disc occurs when a disc ruptures and pushes through its outer tissue, putting pressure on the nerves or spinal cord.

Traditionally, patients required an open procedure to remove the piece of disc that was putting pressure on the surrounding nerves. Now, they can have a newer procedure called endoscopic discectomy. Here, surgeons perform the same operation but use much smaller incisions. Surgeons place a tiny camera in the incision to find the disc fragments and use specialized instruments to remove them. The minimally invasive nature of this procedure allows patients to recover faster.

Spinal fusions mend chronic back pain
For people with chronic back pain, injuries to the vertebrae, spinal infections or abnormal spinal curvatures, spinal fusions can provide much needed relief.

During a spinal fusion, surgeons permanently fuse two bones together so there is no longer movement between them. "The spinal fusions done today are much more advanced than what they were 20 years ago," says Dr. Kazan. "Today, we use several different techniques to make sure a fusion is successful." This includes using stem cells, a patient's own bone for bone grafting and materials such as titanium screws and rods.

New procedures make inoperable tumors operable
For many people with breast, lung or colon cancer, tumors can easily metastasize to the spine. "This happens because microscopic pieces of tumor travel through blood vessels to the bone of the spine," Dr. Kazan says. "Unfortunately, this can also cause spinal cord compression, which can cause people to have trouble walking, bladder difficulties and pain." To reach and remove tumors, surgeons are now performing specialized spinal surgery. In addition, high-powered microscopes make it easier for doctors to distinguish tumors from healthy tissue, avoiding unnecessary damage.

Safety first
In addition to contributing to the advancement of spinal procedures, specialists at Adventist Hinsdale Hospital are also striving to make these procedures safer for patients. The hospital offers individualized spinal cord monitoring during surgery. "We're performing sophisticated electronic tracings of a patient's spinal cord function in real time, continuously throughout surgery," says Dr. Kazan. "Having spine surgeons monitoring a patient's progress makes it much safer for them to have a spinal procedure."

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Education

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• neurovascular
• adventist midwest health
• surgeons
• healthcare
• living healthy
• spine
• minimally invasive
• recovery
• surgery
• medical
• brain injury
• neck injury