Spine Program of Excellence

Introduction

Neurosurgery is the medical specialization of diagnosing and treating patients with diseases or disorders affecting the nervous system. The nervous system is comprised of the brain and its associated blood vessels, the spinal column, spinal cord and nerves as well as the peripheral nerves. Of these, the spinal column and spinal cord and its nerves are of the most concern to neurosurgeons specializing in disorders of the spine. 

Only neurosurgeons are trained to perform procedures inside the lining of the spinal canal called the dura mater. Therefore, diagnoses like spinal cord tumors, tethered spinal cord, Chiari malformation and syringomyelia, fall exclusively under the domain of the neurosurgeon.  Other diagnoses  commonly treated  by Spinal Neurosurgeons include sciatica, herniated discs,  disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, scoliosis and other developmental disorders of the spine. Other areas of expertise include spinal trauma (including vertebral fractures and spinal cord injury) and the treatment of metastatic cancer to the spine.   (put in a generic picture somewhere along here) 

Our Spine Neurosurgeons offer many different procedures, techniques and devices. 

Here are a few common offerings: 

• Laminectomy with and without fusion
• Complex Spinal Instrumentation
• Computer Assisted Stereotactic Guided Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
• Motion-sparing technology (artificial discs)
• Sacral Iliac Joint Fusion
• Spinal Cord Stimulation
• Pain pumps (assistance with complex cases)
• Lumbar/spinal shunt procedures
• Spinal cord tumor & metastatic cancer treatment
• Spinal trauma treatment
• Chiari Malformation Treatment
• Scoliosis

And much more….

Lesions Treated Include

• Herniated cervical, thoracic & lumbar discs
• Spinal degenerative disease with 2 percent nerve root compression or cord compression
• Spinal dysraphism

Faculty in Neurosurgery Spine 

The University of Colorado Department of Neurosurgery has many very gifted surgeons, most of whom work out of the UCHealth Spine Center.   The Spine Center is a multi-disciplinary center including Neurosurgeons, Orthopedic Surgeons, PM&R physicians (Physical Medicine & Rehab), and Anaesthesiologists, Physical Therapists, and many others.   In addition to regional leadership in state-of-the-art surgical procedures and research in this field, and The Spine Center includes an injection clinic, a pain psychologist, a procedures clinic, and a multi-faceted approach to comprehensive spinal care. 

UC Hospital at Anschutz Campus

VA Medical Center at Anschutz Campus

UCHealth, Highlands Ranch Medical Center

Denver Health Neuro Spine Surgeons