It is vital to select the right hospital for spine surgery in order to provide patients with the best outcomes possible.

The Impact of Spinal Disorders on US Residents

The National Centre for Health Statistics estimates that more than 65 million Americans experience lower back pain each year. Such numbers are anticipated to rise even higher due to the changing lifestyles and food consumption patterns in the region.

Annually, 900,000 adult Americans have spine surgery, with costs varying from USD 4,500 to 30,000 depending on the treatment and location.

Common Types of Spine Surgeries?

• Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty: Compression fractures of the vertebrae brought on by osteoporosis can be repaired through vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. Both procedures include injecting bone cement, which acts like glue and hardens and strengthens the bone.

• A discectomy: A herniated disc that is pressing on a nerve root or the spinal cord is removed during a discectomy. Laminectomy and discectomy procedures are frequently carried out concurrently.

• Foraminotomy: the bony hole through which a nerve root leaves the spinal canal is widened by the surgeon. This lessens the likelihood that the nerve may be compressed by protruding discs or joints that have become thicker with age.

• Spinal laminectomy/spinal decompression: When spinal stenosis causes the spinal canal to narrow and results in numbness, discomfort, or weakness, a spinal laminectomy/spinal decompression procedure is carried out.

• Artificial disk replacement is thought to be an alternative to spinal fusion for those with severely damaged discs. The procedure entails removing the injured disc and replacing it with a synthetic one that helps the vertebrae regain height and movement.

• Plasma disk decompression, or nucleoplasty, employs radiofrequency radiation in a sort of laser surgery to treat minimally herniated discs that cause low back discomfort in patients.

• During a spinal fusion procedure, The spinal disc between two or more vertebrae is removed by a surgeon. After that, utilizing bone grafts or metal devices fastened with screws, the surrounding vertebrae are then united.

Robotic Spine Surgeries Performed in the USA

For spine surgery in the USA, the FDA has approved the following three robotic systems:

• Mazor X Stealth Edition, manufactured by Mazor Robotics in Caesarea, Israel (prior models include the Mazor X, SpineAssist, and Renaissance).
• (Globus Medical, Audubon, PA) ExcelsiusGPS
• ROSA (Warsaw, Indiana’s Zimmer Biomet)

Surgeons haven’t widely used ROSA in spinal operations. Essentially, the shared-control models underlying these platforms enable both the surgeon and the robot to control motions simultaneously. Integrating computer-assisted trajectory planning to guide a robotic arm can result in highly accurate screw placement.

Future robots might assist in surgical decompression, such as in laminectomies and osteotomies, aid in revision and deformity procedures, and potentially direct extra- or intradural tumor removal, thanks to advancements in navigation technology.

Top Hospitals in the USA Providing Spine Surgeries

Every hospital mentioned in this article has demonstrated their excellence in spine surgery. These medical facilities have a track record of success and provide cutting-edge methods, individualized care plans, and a multidisciplinary approach to guarantee the greatest outcomes for their patients.

Johns Hopkins Hospital

With therapy for disc degeneration, spinal arthritis, spinal abnormalities, scoliosis, and tumours, the spine division at the Johns Hopkins Department of Orthopaedic Surgery provides skilled, individualised care. They combine conventional surgical procedures with cutting-edge minimally invasive and robotic approaches.

Johns Hopkins Successfully Completes Its First Augmented Reality Surgery on Patients, Promoting Surgical Innovation

Johns Hopkins neurosurgeons successfully completed the first augmented reality surgeries on live patients. Augmedics, a pioneering company in surgical image guidance using augmented reality, introduced its xvision Spine System. This groundbreaking technology allowed surgeons to view the patient’s 3D spinal anatomy during treatment, akin to “X-ray vision.” With the xvision Spine System, surgeons receive real-time guidance, enhancing accuracy and efficiency by integrating surgical navigation elements with augmented reality.

The current freehand method of performing spine procedures may lead to suboptimal outcomes, including incorrect screw placement, neurological issues, and the need for repeat surgery. Although surgical navigation systems have made advancements, their adoption among spine surgeons remains relatively low due to various challenges.

The xvision Spine System addresses these issues by providing a clear near-eye-display headset and a comprehensive navigation system. It overlays a virtual trail on the patient’s CT data in real time and precisely tracks the position of surgical instruments. This capability allows surgeons to simultaneously observe the patient and navigation data projected onto the retina, eliminating the need to focus on a separate screen while performing surgery.

Stanford Health Care

The specialists at Stanford Health Care work together to develop a personalized care plan that takes into account the patient’s unique condition and needs. The intention is to lessen symptoms that can range from tingling or numbness to total paralysis. As much functional capacity as you can preserve or restore so you can continue living your life after treatment, that is another goal of the personalized care plan.

University of Michigan Hospitals

You will be seen by a specialist in either the Orthopaedic Spine Surgery Programme or the Spine Neurosurgery Programme if your back, neck, or spine disease necessitates a surgical approach.

Many people seek treatment at these programs because they have:

• Chronic and sub-acute back and neck pain not responding to medication

• Scoliosis

• Spinal cord or nerve compression

• Spinal tumors

• Traumatic injury

The surgical procedures performed include:

• Minimally invasive spinal surgery

• Outpatient kyphoplasty

• Spinal revision and reconstructive surgery

• Spinal surgery with instrumentation

Conclusion

Some of the world’s top spine surgery institutions are found in the USA, where excellent medical knowledge and cutting-edge facilities combine to offer the highest caliber of care.

The top spine surgery facilities in the USA prioritize patient safety, employ cutting-edge surgical methods, and focus on providing holistic treatment.

In summary, spine surgery hospitals in the USA showcase incredible progress in medical research and the dedication of healthcare experts. Patients can feel secure knowing that by choosing one of these prestigious institutions, they entrust their care to professionals committed to providing excellent care and achieving the best results.