Michigan Head & Spine Institute Newsroom
Dr. Perez-Cruet ‘Wrote the (Text)Book’ on Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Neurosurgery specialists perform minimally invasive back surgery for disorders of the upper, middle and lower spine as well as for spinal fusion in these same areas. Some of the conditions relieved by minimally invasive spine surgery include: sciatica, bulging (herniated) disc and spinal stenosis.
When performing minimally invasive spine surgery, the neurosurgeon makes several small incisions, one to insert a “scope” that enables him to see inside the body and several others for micro-instruments. He may make the incisions in the front, side or back of his patient’s body.
When considering minimally invasive back surgery, it’s important to find a neurosurgeon who has done a large number of such procedures. A larger number of surgeries usually means the neurosurgery specialist has perfected his skills.
Minimally invasive, or keyhole, surgery offers many advantages:
• Reduced need for blood transfusions during surgery
• Smaller incisions with less scarring
• Faster healing and reduced chance for infection
• Fewer complications after surgery
• Shorter hospital stay
• Faster return to regular activities
A Q&A with MSMS President Dr. Daniel Michael
Installed as President of the Michigan State Medical Society, Dr. Daniel Michael answers questions about Michigan's health care from his new leadership role. Read his answers in Crain's Detroit.
Imaging at Beaumont lets surgeons 'see' inside body like never before
New imaging technology at Beaumont Hospital lets surgeons "see" internal anatomy during surgery like never before. This allows for less invasive surgeries, faster recovery times and improved outcomes for patients.The technology - Medtronic's O-Arm® Multidimensional Imaging System - is used by orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak.
With the $700,000 portable O-Arm, surgeons at Beaumont can:
• make surgical incisions for minimally invasive surgery with more certainty
• view a patient's anatomy in real time in the operating room and make adjustments as necessary due to the technology's 2-D and 3-D imaging
• visualize placement of surgical hardware and position it in the exact anatomic position - including for complex, severe spinal deformities
• view complex fractures in a way previously impossible
In addition, the O-Arm makes it possible to take 3-D, high-resolution images of the surgical site before the patient leaves the operating room. This enables the surgeon to check the position of surgical fixation and the restoration of complex fractures.
"This allows surgeons to verify surgical changes," says Fernando Diaz, M.D., Ph.D., chairman, Neurosurgery. "This should reduce or eliminate the need for repeat surgeries."
Harry N. Herkowitz, M.D., chairman, Orthopedic Surgery, says: "Verifying the surgical correction reduces the potential for complications and contributes to better outcomes for our patients."
Beaumont doctors performed the first surgeries using the O-arm on June 25, including correction of severe scoliosis in one patient and spinal disc removal and fusion in another.
The O-Arm® is manufactured and distributed by Medtronic Navigation, a division of Medtronic (NYSE: MDT).
Beaumont's Neurosurgery department offers services in all areas of the specialty, including: stroke and stroke-related problems; minimally invasive endoscopic head and spine procedures; gamma radiosurgery for tumors and other brain conditions; minimally invasive surgery; head injuries; tumors; vascular diseases of the brain and spinal cord; pain management; degenerative spinal disorders; and pediatric neurosurgery. CT stereotactic brain biopsies for tissue diagnosis in brain tumors are also available. Beaumont, Royal Oak is included on the U.S. News & World Report 2008 list of the "Top 50" hospitals in the country for neurology and neurosurgery ranking 36th.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked Beaumont, Royal Oak 26th in orthopedics, making it the top orthopedic hospital in Michigan. Beaumont's department of Orthopedic Surgery is among the highest-volume surgical services in the United States. The department treats both children and adults, and offers expertise in leading-edge treatments for: joint replacement; spine surgery; trauma; tumors; upper extremity, shoulder, foot and ankle problems; childhood disorders; scoliosis; and sports medicine. Its research division is involved in projects to make longer-lasting implants and improve surgical outcomes.
Find out more at Beaumont Hospitals
Copyright © 2009 Beaumont Hospitals. All Rights Reserved
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Ski accident that killed actress brings awareness to severe brain injuries
As people have learned the fate of actress Natasha Richardson — who died Wednesday after falling Monday on a beginner’s ski slope in Montreal and sustaining severe injuries — area medical personnel are using the accident to point out how vulnerable the brain can be.If the fall — and not a previous injury — caused the actress to be in a reported coma, there could be three reasons for her condition, said Fernando Diaz, chairman of neurological surgery at Royal Oak’s Beaumont Hospital.
“She would have to have a massive hemorrhage in the brain, blockage of spinal fluid channels or the onset of severe swelling of the brain,” he said.
Some observers speculated if Richardson may have suffered an epidural hemorrhage, sometimes called the “talk and die” syndrome.
Diaz said he has never seen that type of injury in an adult.
[By CAROL HOPKINS, The Oakland Press, Published: Thursday, March 19, 2009]
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