Most patients that are seen by a spine surgeon are better treated with nonoperative options rather than with spine surgery. These options include activity modification, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications and interventional pain procedures, such as epidural and facet injections.
Patients who are considered for surgical intervention typically have symptoms that persist after nonoperative management and have findings of significant spinal stenosis (narrowing of the space around the spinal cord and nerve roots) or other problems on their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans or other imaging studies. For many, the symptoms interfere with work, family and their ability to be productive and active.
For the right patients with particular findings on their MRI studies, minimally invasive options allow spine surgeons to take care of the problem and get patients back to their activities more rapidly than with conventional surgical procedures.
Conditions We Treat
Common problems that our team of specialists treats include:
- Spinal stenosis
- Herniated discs
- Cervical and lumbar radiculopathy
- Myelopathy
- Spondylolisthesis
- Scoliosis and kyphosis
- Spine trauma (fracture)
- Spine tumors
Our Spine Care Team
Suburban Hospital’s spine surgeons use their clinical expertise to establish an accurate diagnosis quickly and develop a plan of care that fits the needs of each patient suffering from a spinal injury, deformity and/or pain.
Akhil Jay Khanna, M.D.
Shih-Chun Lin, M.D., Ph.D.
Navinder Singh Sethi, M.D.
New Directions: What's Scoliosis?
Linda Brockbank spent a decade assuming that her back pain was just a downside of aging. As the pain worsened, the 68-year-old Fairfax, Virginia, resident tried physical therapy and spinal injections, but relief was only temporary. Fortunately, she eventually was referred to Dr. Joseph O’Brien.
Ask the Expert: Spinal Revision Surgery... Second Time's the Charm!
Joseph O'Brien, M.D. answers questions about spinal revision surgery.
Patient Resources
Learn More
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 1-855-JHM-3939.