From conservative therapies to complex surgical procedures, we provide expertise in treating a wide range of back and neck conditions, including:

• Degenerative disk disease
• Failed back surgeries
• Herniated disks
• Lower-back pain
• Myelopathy (spinal cord problems due to compression in the neck)
• Osteoporosis
• Radiculopathy (pinched nerves)
• Sciatica
• Scoliosis (adult and pediatric)
• Spinal deformities
• Spinal fractures
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• Spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebra)

The St. Joseph Hospital Complex Spine Center routinely serves as a regional referral center for the most difficult procedures to restore spinal alignment and relieve pain. When possible, we use minimally invasive techniques, which involve smaller incisions, less blood loss, reduced need for pain medication and a faster return to normal activities. In addition, through our participation in FDA studies, we’re often able to give patients access to new technologies not available elsewhere in the region.

Our orthopedic and neurosurgeons perform the following surgical procedures, among many others:

• Minimally invasive spinal fusion (cervical, thoracic and lumbar)
• Minimally invasive spinal decompression
• Artificial disk replacement
• Reconstructive surgery for spinal deformities
• Complex revision surgery for scoliosis

All back and neck surgeries at the St. Joseph Hospital Complex Spine Center are performed in state-of-the-art “smart operating rooms,” so named for their sophisticated monitoring equipment, imaging and navigation technology and other advancements.

We take a team approach to correcting back and neck problems, providing expert care through every step of the treatment process. Our team includes many nationally recognized physicians, specially trained nurses dedicated exclusively to spine patients, and specialists in conservative therapies and supportive services, including these:

• Diagnostic imaging
• Pain management, including pain-relieving injections and epidurals, through the hospital’s outpatient Pain Clinic
• Rehabilitation
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Home health care

Undergoing surgery of any kind can be stressful. That's why we encourage you to become an active participant in your health care - before and after surgery.

We believe the best way to prepare for your planned surgery is to get you involved in your care, so that you know what to expect during and after your stay at the hospital.

This handbook will answer many of your questions and provide you with resources so you can prepare your home, loved ones and yourself for this experience.

• Download the patient handbook