New York Spine Institute Spine Services

Degenerative Spine Surgery

NEW YORK CITY & LONG ISLAND’S TOP DOCTORS DEGENERATIVE SPINE SURGERY

Board-certified physicians ready and qualified to treat all spine-related conditions make up our team at New York Spine Institute. Through diagnosis, they can understand and personalize a treatment plan for every patient in order to provide the highest level of excellence.

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Why Choose New York Spine Institute

Quality Care

Based upon your specific diagnosis, our experienced doctors here at NYSI, are prepared to give you personalized and high quality. All of this is done in order to make sure that you are aware of your proper treatment options

Industry Leaders

Under the supervision of our medical director, Alexandre B. de Moura, M.D. FAAOS, our spine doctors at New York Spine Institute are industry leaders. All are well versed with knowledge pertaining to various neck and spine disorders that make them prepared to provide all of our patients with suitable treatment options.

Multiple Languages

Our professional staff here at NYSI speak a variety of languages in order to better communicate with our patients. The languages they speak are Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Russian. Our team is ready and looking forward to help serve the needs of our patients always.

Alexandre B. De Moura, M.D. FAAOS DIRECTOR, NEW YORK SPINE INSTITUTE, DIRECTOR, DEPT. ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, MERCY MEDICAL CENTER

UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR DEGENERATIVE SPINE SURGERY

Degenerative changes in the spine are those that cause the loss of normal structure and/or function. They are not typically due to a specific injury but rather to age. Repeated strains, sprains, and overuse of the back cause a gradual degeneration of the disks of the spine. When young, our disks are soft and serve as a cushion for the vertebrae. As we age, the material in these disks becomes less supple and the disks erode, losing some height, most sufferers are 40 years and older.  

If back or neck pain caused by degenerative disc disease doesn’t respond to medication or therapeutic injections, the doctors at NYSI may recommend a surgical procedure. Surgeons may remove some or all of a damaged disc, take the pressure off a pinched nerve, or eliminate movement between the bones of the spine.

Timothy T. Roberts, M.D., ORTHOPEDIC SPINE SPECIALIST

Treatment Options for Degenerative Spine Surgery

Pain from degenerative disc disease is caused by a combination of instability at the motion segment and inflammation from the degenerated discs. Both the instability and the inflammation have to be addressed for the back pain treatment to be effective.

The treatments for degenerative disc disease are either passive (done to the patient) or active (done by the patient). Usually a combination of treatments is used to help control the symptoms. Passive treatments are rarely effective on their own—some active component, such as exercise, is almost always required.

Passive treatments may include physical therapy, injections, massage, or medications. These minimally invasive treatments will be a way to see how your body responds and if degenerative spine surgery is an option for you. 

If pain persists despite medical treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery. Listed below are surgical treatment options for degenerative back conditions:

  • Laminectomies are recommended when you have spinal stenosis. In a laminectomy, the lamina, or back portion of the spine, is removed to give the nerves more room and reduce inflammation. Although the lamina will not grow back, scar tissue will develop and will protect the spinal nerves.
  • For individuals who suffer from the most severe degenerative back conditions, spinal fusions involves joining the bones together with screws or bone grafts to provide stability. It may be combined with laminectomy surgery. 

Consult your doctor in order to reach the best treatment option for you.

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