Spinal Care

Our Spine Center is supported by an integrated group of specialists that provide surgical solutions for patients suffering from orthopedic issues, spine injuries and spine disorders.

This diverse team of orthopedic experts work together to identify and treat each patient’s unique conditions. This streamlined collaboration between care team members, progressive treatment options and innovative technologies helps to ensure that patients receive the best care and surgery outcomes. Our experienced spine care team includes:

• Board-certified neurosurgical and orthopedic surgical teams, with neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons
• A care coordinator who coordinates preoperative care and discharge planning
• Dedicated nurses and therapists trained to work with spine patients
• Pain medicine physicians
• Physical/Occupational therapy
• Radiologists
• O-Arm spine technology representative
• Dedicated ExcelsiusGPS spine specialist who support surgeons in the operating room

Care Coordinator
The care coordinator is a registered nurse who oversees patient care and helps secure resources and services needed to successfully maintain optimal care. The care coordinator empowers patients to be active participants in their health and strives to provide patients and families with the tools they need to make the best decisions that ensure the success of the patient’s care plan. The care coordinator assists with the coordination of care from pre-op through discharge, setting patient expectations for pain management and post-op rehabilitation.

Guiding You from Spine Surgery to Recovery
The Spine Center has a dedicated unit, featuring private patient rooms and is committed to providing patients with the highest level of compassionate, quality care in a patient and family centered environment. Our Spine Center promotes wellness and mobility among our patients, their families and our specialized health care team. Through skilled and personalized care, we work together to achieve high patient satisfaction, successful outcomes and enhanced quality of life.

Emphasizing Patient and Family Education Pre-operatively
Our Spine Center emphasizes patient and family education pre-operatively. An education class is held for patients and coaches scheduled for spine surgery. You should plan to attend a class 1 - 2 weeks prior to your surgery date. Classes are held at the hospital on the dedicated spine unit. You will only need to attend one class. Members of the care team will be there to answer your questions. Learn more about pre-operative education.

ExcelciusGPS®

ExcelsiusGPS® is the next revolution in robotic spine surgery from Globus Medical, a developer of spinal and orthopedic implants and surgical instruments for patients with spine disorders.

ExcelsiusGPS is designed to improve accuracy and optimize patient care by using robotics and navigation, much like a GPS in your car.

On the day of surgery medical images are taken and imported into ExcelsiusGPS. The surgeon uses these images to determine the size and placement of implants and creates a patient plan based on your anatomy. This is used to guide the rigid robotic arm to a specific region of your spine, similar to a planned route or pathway on a GPS. The surgeon uses this pathway or route to accurately place the implants using instruments.

Throughout the procedure, the surgical instruments and implants are continuously displayed on the screen for the surgeon and staff to monitor. This display allows the surgeon to view live feedback during your procedure for more precise implant placement.

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon
If you are experiencing chronic back pain that is unresponsive to non-surgical treatment, you may be a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery in conjunction with ExcelsiusGPS. Talk to your doctor to learn more and find out if this option is right for you.

18. Am I a candidate for minimally invasive spine surgery with ExcelsiusGPS?
19. How can I benefit from minimally invasive spine surgery with ExcelsiusGPS?
20. What can I expect the day of the surgery?
21. What can I expect post-surgery?

O-Arm™

One of the more exciting technological advancements in spine surgery is the use of the O-arm™ during surgery.

The surgical team can use intraoperative imaging for optimized spine procedures. This improved visualization is critical during complex and minimally invasive procedures. The O-arm system is considered a trusted team member that is used before, during and after surgery.

The O-arm uses computer navigation to gather real-time visualization of the spinal structures. It gives our spinal surgeons the ability to increase their precision during surgery since it shows a 3D structure of the spine in the operating room on a computer screen with amazing accuracy. The surgical system:

• Provides you with real-time images
• Adapts to your surgical workflow
• Moves fluidly in the operation room

This technology allows us to perform major spine surgery through minimal incision with un-paralleled safety and accuracy. This lowers risk and complication rates and increases surgery precision.

Optimized 2D|3D Performance
The O-arm provides 3D slice data and 3D fluoroscopy — a type of medical imaging that shows a continuous X-ray image on a monitor, much like an X-ray movie.

• 2D Imaging: Is used for localization, real-time anatomical updates and surgery plan verification.
• 3D Imaging: Gives an expanded view of the patient’s anatomy.
• Confirmation: The O-arm allows surgeons to view these combined patient image data while still on the surgical table to ensure that surgical goals are met.