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Spine Surgery

Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center

Neurosurgery located in Scottsdale, AZ & Tucson, AZ

The spine is a complex and critical part of your body. If you need surgery on your spine, it can be a daunting prospect. Expect board certified neurosurgeons Abhishiek Sharma, MD, and Eril Curtis, MD, of Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center in Phoenix, have extensive experience performing spine surgery. They use the most advanced minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgical procedures available. Find our more by calling Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center today, or book an appointment online.

Spine Surgery Q & A

What is spine surgery?

Spine surgery is a treatment option for people who have back or neck problems that don’t respond to nonsurgical treatments.

Your neurosurgeon won’t use surgery as a diagnostic tool or carry out any spine surgery without knowing exactly what’s causing your pain and how to treat it.

Both neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons perform spine surgery.

What conditions can spine surgery treat?

Spine surgery corrects deformities of the spine, stabilizes the spine, and relieves pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots. Conditions that benefit from spine surgery include:

  • Cord compression
  • Herniated discs
  • Cervical radiculopathy
  • Myelopathy
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL)
  • Lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica)
  • Spondylosis
  • Spondylolisthesis
  • Scoliosis

Having one of these conditions doesn’t automatically mean you need surgery, as nonsurgical treatments are very effective for many patients. Your provider at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center discusses your treatment and any surgical options with you at your consultation.

What are the advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery?

Minimally invasive spine surgery offers significant advantages to patients, including:

  • Less pain
  • Reduced blood loss
  • Lower risk of damage to surrounding tissue
  • Reduced risk of complications
  • Lower risk of infection
  • Less scarring
  • Shorter hospital stay
  • Faster recovery time

Some patients do still require open surgery, but your neurosurgeon discusses the reasons why that might be necessary in your case.

How is spine surgery carried out?

Minimally invasive techniques use a laparoscope, which is a slim, flexible tube equipped with a light and a miniature camera. Rather than making a large incision in your back to expose the spine, your neurosurgeon only has to make a few small incisions through which he passes the laparoscope. The camera sends a video of the surgery site, and your surgeon uses specialized instruments passed through another incision to carry out the procedure.

The neurosurgeons at Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center are experts in minimally invasive surgery, and always use this technique where possible. They also use an even more advanced form of minimally invasive surgery that involves a surgeon-guided robot.

Procedures the team performs using minimally invasive surgery include:

  • Anterior cervical discectomy, with or without fusion
  • Arthroplasty
  • Corpectomy, with or without fusion
  • Foraminotomy
  • Laminectomy
  • Laminoplasty
  • Minimally invasive discectomy
  • Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF)
  • Balloon kyphoplasty
  • Direct lateral interbody fusion (DLIF)
  • Posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF)
  • Posterolateral lumbar fusion
  • Spinal fusion
  • Spinal decompression
  • Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)

The team also has access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging technology to give them the clearest insight into what’s causing your condition and help them plan the most effective surgery. 

Find out more by calling Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center today to schedule a consultation, or book online.

If you're looking for a neurosurgeon in the Phoenix area, contact Atlas Neurosurgery and Spine Center for the ultimate neurological care.