A rounded upper back is often dismissed as a normal part of aging. For many older adults, it is — a mild increase in thoracic kyphosis within the range of normal variation, requiring no treatment. But for a significant subset, the progressive forward curve of the upper back represents a genuinely abnormal and treatable condition:Continue reading “Hyperkyphosis in Older Adults: When a Rounded Back Is a Medical Problem”
Author Archives: Dr. Zeeshan Sardar, MD, MSc, F.R.C.S.C
Postoperative Kyphosis: When Prior Spine Surgery Causes a New Forward Curve
Kyphosis that develops as a complication of prior spine surgery is one of the most underrecognized patterns in spinal deformity. Patients who had successful-seeming procedures — cervical laminectomy, lumbar fusion, scoliosis correction — find themselves years later with a new forward curve, progressive symptoms, and often no clear explanation from their treating physicians about whyContinue reading “Postoperative Kyphosis: When Prior Spine Surgery Causes a New Forward Curve”
Cervical Disc Replacement Recovery: What to Expect Week by Week
Recovery from cervical disc replacement is one of the most commonly searched topics by patients who have decided on surgery and are trying to understand what the weeks ahead will look like. This post covers the realistic recovery trajectory — what most patients experience, what the activity restrictions are, and where cervical disc replacement recoveryContinue reading “Cervical Disc Replacement Recovery: What to Expect Week by Week”
The Hybrid Cervical Construct: Disc Replacement After a Prior Fusion
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is among the most commonly performed and most successful procedures in spine surgery. But like any fusion, it has a known long-term consequence: the segments directly above and below the fused level are exposed to increased mechanical stress, and over years to decades, a portion of patients develop symptomaticContinue reading “The Hybrid Cervical Construct: Disc Replacement After a Prior Fusion”
Two-Level Cervical Disc Replacement: When Is It an Option?
Cervical disc disease most commonly affects a single level — and single-level cervical disc replacement is by far the most studied and most commonly performed configuration. But disc degeneration does not always confine itself to one level. For patients with significant disease at two adjacent levels — C4–5 and C5–6, or C5–6 and C6–7, forContinue reading “Two-Level Cervical Disc Replacement: When Is It an Option?”
Why I Was Told I Don’t Qualify for Cervical Disc Replacement — A Second Look
One of the most common reasons patients reach out for a second opinion on cervical spine surgery is a version of the same story: they researched cervical disc replacement, asked their surgeon about it, and were told they don’t qualify. Sometimes the explanation was detailed. More often it was brief — a mention of arthritis,Continue reading “Why I Was Told I Don’t Qualify for Cervical Disc Replacement — A Second Look”
Does the Robot Do the Spine Surgery?
Does the robot actually perform spine surgery? A clear, honest answer to one of the most common misconceptions in modern spine care.
Lumbar Disc Replacement: Who Is a Candidate?
Lumbar disc replacement preserves motion where fusion eliminates it — but it isn’t right for every patient. Here is how candidacy is actually determined.
What Is the Risser Stage?
The Risser stage measures something the Cobb angle doesn’t: how much growth your child has left, and why that changes everything about scoliosis risk.
Why Revision Spine Surgery Is More Complex
Why does revision spine surgery require so much more planning than a first operation? Here is what actually makes these procedures more complex — and why preparation matters.