Lumbar disc replacement preserves motion where fusion eliminates it — but it isn’t right for every patient. Here is how candidacy is actually determined.
Category Archives: Lumbar Spine
Epidural Steroid Injections for Spine Pain: What They Can and Cannot Do
Epidural steroid injections (ESIs) are among the most commonly performed procedures in spine medicine. Millions are performed each year in the United States for neck and back pain, radiculopathy, and sciatica. They are often the recommended next step after a course of physical therapy and oral medications hasn’t provided adequate relief. And yet they areContinue reading “Epidural Steroid Injections for Spine Pain: What They Can and Cannot Do”
What Is Spinal Stenosis — and When Is Surgery the Answer?
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that causes leg pain, weakness, and difficulty walking. Here is what it is, why it happens, and when surgery is the right answer.
Spondylolisthesis: When Does It Need Surgery?
Spondylolisthesis — a forward slip of one vertebra over another — is common, frequently misunderstood, and does not always need surgery. Here is what it is, what causes symptoms, and when surgery is the right answer.
Spondylolisthesis, stenosis, and lumbar kyphosis
Patients with spondylolisthesis, stenosis, and lumbar kyphosis can have major difficulties with standing upright and with day-to-day function. Realignment and stabilization of the spine can lead to a dramatic improvement in quality of life. The patient shown below was extremely happy postoperatively — she was able to stand upright for the first time in manyContinue reading “Spondylolisthesis, stenosis, and lumbar kyphosis”
What is Normal Lumbar Spine Alignment and segmental lordosis ?
A Multi-Ethnic Alignment Normative Study (MEANS) Here is what we learnt for Lumbar segmental alignment and distribution from the MEANS population. Key Points: Equation for predicting L1-L4 lordosis which I use:L1-L4 = -0.4(PI) + 2.2 Equations for predicting L1-S1 lordosis were given in the earlier post. L4-S1 lordosis can be calculated as a difference betweenContinue reading “What is Normal Lumbar Spine Alignment and segmental lordosis ?”