Inova Spine Institute, the leading collaborative spine treatment program in the Washington, D.C. area, has the most back pain specialists in the region. The physicians, nurses and the entire Inova team are committed to providing you with unparalleled individualized spine care.
At Inova Spine Institute, you’ll find a wide range of treatment alternatives, from physical therapy and rehabilitation to pain management. For patients who require surgery, Inova Spine Institute offers the most robust surgical program in the capital region, with each surgeon specializing in the unique aspects of spinal surgery.
Inova Spine Institute offers in-depth experience treating back pain as well as experts in the latest treatment techniques and procedures. And because they have locations throughout Northern Virginia and the Washington DC areas, you will find that world-class treatment for back pain doesn’t have to be a world away.
Inova Spine Institute is designed to focus on the specific needs of each person suffering with back or neck pain. Through their comprehensive, multi- disciplinary approach, they have one simple goal: returning you to the activities that you enjoy most.
Surgery
Each year, more than 500,000 people in America undergo spine surgery. Primary candidates for this surgery include patients with chronic pain who have not responded to other conservative therapies or individuals who suffer from acute pain caused by progressive neurological damage that interferes with walking, exercise, leisure, recreation or work. The goal of spine surgery is to relieve pain, restore independence and return people to their daily activities.
Spine surgery is usually an option only after less invasive options have proven unsuccessful. A decision to have surgery requires careful evaluation of several factors. (These include the severity of the disorder, the presence or absence of pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, how long the pain has been present, and past medical history.) Minimally invasive surgical procedures can be good options for treatment of herniated discs or compression fractures.
Types of Spine Surgery
- Lumbar disc replacement and cervical disc replacement
- Laminaplasty – the lamina (the bony arches on the vertebrae) are cut free along one side and hinged open to enlarge the spinal canal and relieve pressure
- Laminectomy – removes the bony arches on one or more vertebrae to relieve pressure
- Spinal fusion – connects two or more vertebrae together and keeps them from moving until they have a chance to grow together, or fuse
- Interspinous/interlaminar implant – This device is a shock absorber that fits between two vertebrae to provide cushioning and stability, and relieve pressure on the spine
- Microendoscopic discectomy for herniated discs – Surgeons insert a tiny metal tube to access the herniated disc and remove the portion pressing on the nerve
- Kyphoplasty for compression fractures – a balloon is inserted at the fracture and inflated, pushing the bone back to its normal height and shape
- Minimally invasive surgery – performed through smaller incisions and reduce the risk of damage to nearby parts of the spine