Re: Fw: Laminectomy versus fusion

[Guest guest]

Fred,

My son has gone through several spinal surgeries for severe spinal stenosis

(thorcolumbar kyphosis)......in his case, as is done in most hospital in the US

and is suggested by the orthopedic surgeon, is that a neurosurgeon does the

laminectomy or decompression of the spine and then the orthopedic surgeon does

the spinal fusion (i.e. placement of instrumentation for stabilization). NS's

tend to be able to the intricite mircroscopic work it takes to remove the

laminae without damaging any nerves in a very small area verses the orthopod who

is more into doing stuctural changes in bone, adding fusion material and

instrumentation that doesn't require a microscopic approach.

I think it is just the 'sub-specialized' part of what the medical profession

is doing nowadays verses years ago. In cases of persons with very difficult

and unusual anomolies of the body it takes someone who is more specialized thus

the sub part.

Trudy (mom to Caleb 16, achondroplasia)

[Guest guest]

Wanted to correct my spelling of 'thoracolumbar'.....as I spelled it wrong

each time in my last post.....sorry!

Trudy