Spine Issues and Procedures

Below is a list of spine conditions and treatment options provided by our experienced neurosurgery team. We also care for spine conditions as part of the expert team at St. Luke’s Spine Center.

Common issues we treat

Cauda equine syndrome: In this rare lower back disorder, compressed nerve roots disrupt motor and sensory function to the legs, bowels and bladder.

Degenerative disc disease: This condition causes the discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae, to break down. This is an age-related disease and can cause weakness, loss of feeling, and pain in the legs.

Facet joint syndrome, facet arthritis: Facet joints connect the bones of the spine. This condition is caused by the wearing down of these joints.

Herniated disc (slipped disc): A disc is a soft, shock-absorbing pad between the vertebrae of the spine. A disc becomes herniated when part or all of it slips out of place. This can happen to the discs in the neck (cervical discs) or the lower back (lumbar discs).

Lower back pain: There are many causes for lower back pain. Not all back pain will require surgery.

Neck pain: There are many causes for lower neck pain. Not all neck pain will require surgery.

Sacroiliac joint pain: The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) connects the spine to the pelvis. SIJ dysfunction can result in lower back, hip and leg pain on one side of your body. This can be caused by trauma, but more often it occurs over a long period of time.

Sciatica: The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and runs down the back of each leg, controlling the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg. When the sciatic nerve is injured, it results in weakness, pain, numbness or tingling in the affected leg.

Spinal fracture: When one or more vertebrae are dislocated or cracked, this is called a spinal fracture.

Scoliosis or spinal deformities: Scoliosis is an abnormal curving of the spine.

Spinal stenosis: Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal column, or the narrowing of the openings where spinal nerves leave the spinal column.

Spondylolisthesis: This condition refers to a vertebra moving out of position and onto the bone below it.

Procedures available at St. Luke’s

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: This type of neck surgery involves removing a damaged disc to relieve pressure. This also may be referred to as an anterior cervical decompression.

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion: This type of spine surgery involves approaching the spine through the abdomen to stabilize a disc between two vertebrae through fusing.

Artificial disc replacement (cervical): This type of neck surgery involves replacing a disc with an artificial one.

Extreme lateral interbody fusion: This type of minimally invasive lower back surgery involves approaching the spine through the side to stabilize a disc between two vertebrae through fusing.

Kyphoplasty: Kyphoplasty is used to treat painful compression fractures in the spine. A balloon is placed through a needle to restore the height of a compressed vertebra.

Laminectomy: The lamina is part of the bone that makes up a vertebra. A laminectomy is surgery to remove this portion of the vertebra. This may also be done to remove bone spurs or a herniated disk.

Lumbar discectomy: Lumbar discectomy is surgery to remove all or part of a disc in the lower back.

Lumbar spine fusion preparation: Lumbar spinal fusion is surgery to permanently join together two or more bones in the lower back so there is no movement between them.

Spinal cord stimulation: Spinal cord stimulation is a treatment for pain that uses a mild electric current to block nerve impulses in the spine.

Transforaminal interbody fusion: Foramen are on the sides of the spine where the nerves exit the spinal cord. In this surgery, the surgeon will access the foramen from one side to stabilize a section of the spine through fusing.