Service: Neurosurgery

Optim Health System has both Orthopedic Spine specialists and Neurosurgeons. They both are specialists in spine surgery and experts in treating painful or degenerative conditions of the spine. Neurosurgeons are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the spine and in addition to the boney musculature, they often have training focused on the spinal cord and nerves.

The neurosurgeons at Optim are specifically focused on disorders of the spine. Many conditions can cause back pain, leg pain, numbness and weakness. Bone spurs, bulging discs, herniated discs, facet joint disease, sciatica, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis are some of the common conditions we see. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatments available to help patients recover from these painful conditions.

At the Spine Center of Excellence, at Optim Medical Center-Tattnall and Optim Surgery Center, we offer the most comprehensive care for the spine. Our teams specialize in minimally invasive spine procedures that offer smaller incisions, less blood loss and less damage to surrounding structures – all which can lead to a quicker recovery. Optim neurosurgeons commonly perform decompression surgery to enlarge the space in the spinal canal and ultimately relieve pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.

In addition to traditional spine surgery, neurosurgeons are experts in using the newest and most innovative techniques to relieve pain and restore motion. In addition to traditional spine surgeries, some of the common procedures performed by our neurosurgery team include:

• Endoscopic spine surgery is extremely minimally invasive with incisions often less than 1 cm. This means minimal damage to skin, muscle, ligaments and bone. It is an innovative surgery that uses a small tubular system or micro incisions, assisted with an endoscope for visualization.
• Radiofrequency Ablation, or RFA, is one of the newest pain control techniques. It is a simple and unique spinal procedure that can alleviate the pain of degenerative spine conditions in as little as 15 minutes. For many, this surgical procedure offers relief from chronic back pain and muscle spasms and can provide relief for patients who suffer from joint pain in the spine. By effectively treating pain at the facet joint it can provide a solution to people who suffer from arthritis in the facet joints in the back.
• Endoscopic Rhizotomy. This simple 30-minute outpatient procedure is effective in about 80 percent of patients, can relieve pain for up to 4 years and can be repeated. Similar to RFA, Endoscopic Rhizotomy surgery also involves relieving back pain due to arthritis and has proven successful for patients that have been told they need an invasive fusion surgery.
• We also offer spinal stimulators, which are often used for chronic back pain, usually when other methods of treatment have not been successful. The stimulator is a device that is surgically placed under your skin and sends a mild electric current to your spinal cord. It works by masking pain signals before they reach the brain.

Trust the teams at Optim for the most comprehensive care for your neck and back. The neurosurgery team at Optim Health System are the leading experts in treating neck and back pain and restoring your health and well-being.