Complex Spine Center

Having a spinal problem is a complex disease that requires more than just a skilled surgeon. It requires a compassionate, evidence based, streamlined care from the very beginning. 

USA Health is the Gulf Coast’s only academic medical center. This means the doctors that train other doctors provide and supervise care. This also requires that practitioners and providers utilize the best and latest in academic research regarding spine fractures. Neurosurgeons are fellowship trained to specifically help with different aspects of complex spine problems and regularly attend and present at regional, national, and international neurosurgical academic conferences.

USA Health utilizes all the resources available at an academic medical center. To have the best possible outcomes we integrate care from the leading professionals in all aspects of spine care. This occurs before, during and after surgery. We partner with our colleagues in different medical specialties including physical therapy, occupational therapy, trauma surgery, orthopedic surgery, interventional neurology, and critical care/internal medicine physicians.

Complex cases at USA Health undergo a surgeon peer review process where cases are discussed with different surgeons at a formal spine conference. This serves as a teaching modality for surgeons-in-training but also allows for a review of cases among professionals, integration of the latest scientific findings into the treatment plan and review with other experts in the field. This can improve outcomes and reduce complications.

Spinal Deformity Service

The USA Health Complex Spine Center functions as a referral base for challenging and complex cases related to spinal deformity in both children and adults. This includes scoliosis, spinal deformity, and revision back surgery. The Complex Spine Center focuses on complex spinal disorders in both children and adults.

Team Approach

Spinal deformity, revision back surgery, and scoliosis are serious problems with complex solutions. From the beginning, the entire spine team is involved in your care. Patients undergoing spine reconstruction surgery will meet with a physical therapist before, immediate following surgery, and in the post-operative care sequence if indicated. Patients will meet the surgeon who will directly answer all questions, but the Complex Spine Clinical Nurse will also help coordinate multiple different aspects of your care. The goal is to have all of the patient’s questions answered before surgery and provide a constant line of communication with someone you know and trust.

Spine Fracture Service

USA Health University Hospital is the region’s only level 1 trauma center. Neurosurgeons at USA Health are experts in the evaluation, management, and treatment of operative and non-operative spine fractures in both children and adults.

Triage of Care

Patients presenting through the USA Health Fanny Meisler Trauma Center are first seen by a fellowship-trained trauma surgery specialist. These physicians treat and triage the patient’s entire trauma care and critically manage the patient during their initial presentation to the trauma emergency room and throughout their hospitalization. They will consult the neurosurgical team for brain and spinal cord injuries, including spine fractures.

Our Spine Fracture Service fully integrates the latest in standard of care from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Guidelines regarding the operative and non-operative management of spine fractures.

Protocols

Treatment pathways include a conservative therapy approach whenever possible. Treatment of a spine fracture can involve observation, treatment with a brace or external orthosis, minimally invasive surgery, or traditional open surgery. Each care plan is individualized to the patient but the process of how the treatment is carried out is identical each time. This reduces uncertainty, improves patient satisfaction, and can reduce complications.

Minimally-Invasive Spine Surgery and Navigation

Leading technology, available at USA Health, allows for minimally invasive surgery whenever possible in appropriate cases.

Research

Academic centers, by definition, drive the field of complex surgery. Our team is at the forefront of research in spinal surgery related to outcomes, techniques and socioeconomic data. Neurosurgeons at the University of South Alabama conduct cutting-edge research that changes the way other surgeons take care of spine trauma patients.

• Drs. Rusyniak and Martino published the outcomes for a different approach to complex thoracolumbar trauma.
• Dr. Menger and colleagues published a new technique for the treatment of complex upper cervical fractures.
• Along with residents and trainees numerous book chapters, like this one, have been authored.
• Multiple studies are actively ongoing.

General online resources: 

• Know Your Back
• Scoliosis Research Society