Soheila Saami Aldoboni was born in Tehran and at the age of 36 has had more than 800 successful surgeries and she has been involved in more than 3,500 surgeries over 10 years.
A neurosurgeon trained with the latest surgical techniques to treat spinal disorders. Surgeries include discectomy, foraminotomy, laminectomy, and spinal transplantation and instrumentation. Some neurosurgeons specialize in certain types of neurosurgeries, such as more invasive surgeries or scoliosis surgeries. A neurosurgeon can also prescribe medication and non-surgical methods, such as physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
A review of spine surgery
If you have been struggling with back pain for a while, you may think that surgery is the only treatment. Sometimes surgery is the only treatment, but the good news is that in most cases low back pain can be treated with non-surgical methods, often called conservative methods.
Old age, improper body movement, injuries and disorders of the body structure damage the spine and lead to back pain and other problems such as foot pain or numbness and even weakening of the legs. Chronic low back pain is a condition that usually requires a team of specialists to diagnose and treat. Before undergoing surgery, seek the advice of several spinal specialists. Taking the time to do this and gathering information will help you make an informed treatment decision so that your lifestyle is not disrupted and you achieve the desired amount of physical activity.
Neck disc replacement for neck or hand pain
Many disorders, such as a sprained shoulder, tennis elbow, or carpal tunnel that are not related to the spine, cause neck or hand pain. This problem in some patients often occurs in the area of the spine and cervical nerves, known as the cervical spine. One of the most common problems is a hernia or disc protrusion that puts pressure on the nerves of the spine. In the past, the only way to treat this problem was to remove the cervical disc and transplant the cervical vertebrae. This was often done with the help of a pelvic bone or iliac crest. In this case, the patient had to perform another operation, which was often more painful than neck surgery.
Cervical disc replacement (CDR)
Over the last twenty years, new technology and materials have made it possible to replace the cervical disc, so that many patients prefer this method to cervical vertebrae transplant. Modern disc replacement devices, such as knee and pelvic joint replacements, are made of quality metal and plastic and help maintain normal neck movement. Extensive researches on cervical disc replacement for seven years have examined the condition of thousands of patients after this procedure.
Foraminotomy: Relieving pressure on the nerves of the spine
Foraminotomy is a decompression surgery used to dilate the nerve root outlet of the spinal canal. The term foraminotomy is derived from the medical term foramen meaning hollow pathway. The final part of the term foraminotomy (otomy), means opening.
The location of neuroforamen
Neuroforamen is a pathway that forms naturally on both sides (right, left) and between the upper and lower vertebrae. An intervertebral disc is located between each upper and lower vertebra. The height of the disc separates the two vertebrae and creates the size of a neuroforamen.
Treatment for spinal fractures: kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty, vertebral augmentation implantation.
Kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty and vertebral augmentation are among the less invasive methods used to treat vertebral fractures caused by vertebral pressure. These methods help to quickly reduce severe pain, stabilize the fracture position caused by vertebral pressure, and restore lost height or the shape of the broken vertebra. A vertebral pressure fracture is a type of spinal fracture that occurs due to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease that gradually reduces bone density and increases the risk of fractures of the spine, wrist and pelvis. According to the National Osteoporosis Institute, 54 million Americans have osteoporosis and osteopenia. If osteoporosis is not treated, it progresses painlessly and gradually until the bone breaks.
A fact about spinal fractures: spina fractures affect one million Americans each year, they are more common than pelvic fractures, and often lead to long-term disability.
How is vertebroplasty performed?
In this situation, the patient is placed under general anesthesia or mild sedation, and a special bone needle is gently injected into the soft tissue of the lumbar region toward a fracture caused by vertebral pressure. Fluoroscopy with a small amount of X-ray dye allows the surgeon to observe the position of the needle all the time.
A small amount of bone cement, called polymethyl methacrylate, is sent to the vertebrae through a needle. Polymethyl methacrylate is a type of medical bone cement that has been used in various orthopedic surgeries for many years. The cement is sometimes combined with antibiotics and powder containing barium or tantalum to reduce the risk of infection and to make the cement visible on X-rays.
Cement after injection is similar to thick paste but hardens quickly. The injection is usually done on the right and left side of the vertebrae, right in the middle of the back. The patient can get up and move within a few hours. Most people return home the same day.