For individuals living with back pain, spine surgery can make an enormous difference in their quality of life. At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, our neurosurgeons are experts in minimally invasive spine surgery, performed through small skin openings rather than with large incisions.
Minimally invasive spine surgery can result in less post-operative pain and a faster recovery. At Lahey, 50% of our spinal fusion surgeries are performed with minimally invasive techniques. What’s more, our reoperation rates and infection rates are much lower than national averages.
Learn more about the Lahey Spine Center
Lahey’s spine surgeons are leaders in outcomes research. Drs. Ghogawala, Magge, and Whitmore are key investigators on the federally sponsored (PCORI) CSM-S study. This study aims to determine the optimal surgery for patients with spinal cord dysfunction from cervical myelopathy, a condition caused by arthritis that puts pressure on the spinal cord.
Featured in The Wall Street Journal, Lahey’s spine surgeons have access to a unique spinal experts network that reviews complex cases to obtain consensus opinion before patients are enrolled in clinical trials.
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center has earned national recognition as a Blue Cross Blue Shield Center of Distinction and an Optum Center of Excellence for spinal surgery. We have also been included in Becker’s Hospital Review’s 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Neurosurgery and Spine Programs for 2015.
Individualized Care
Neurosurgeons at Lahey have the skills and expertise to perform the most complex spinal surgery and restore quality of life for our patients. They deliver this care with the personalized and compassionate approach for which Lahey is known.
At Lahey’s dedicated Spine Center, our team works together to develop individualized care plans for each person. Experienced pain management specialists are part of our department and understand the specific needs of patients who have had spine surgery.
Our neurosurgeons have advanced training in areas such as complex spinal surgery. Among the many state-of-the-art technologies at Lahey is a computerized navigation system that improves surgical accuracy.
If you are a referring physician, click here for additional information on our program.
Our Outcomes
Lahey is the first hospital in the Boston area with a Spinal Fusion Registry to track and publicly share our outcomes after spine surgery. Our reoperation and infection rates are significantly lower than national rates. At the same time, our patients report a better quality of life and less disability compared to national averages.
Spinal Deformity Correction
A spine deformity can develop in childhood or in adulthood and can gradually worsen as a person ages. Spine deformities can cause significant pain and limited range of motion, and they can have a major effect on the ability to enjoy life to the fullest.
At Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, our neurosurgeons have a proven track record in surgical procedures – often with minimally invasive techniques – to correct spine deformities and stabilize the spine.
Led by Dr. Stefan Kim, our neurosurgeons, orthopedic specialists, pain management specialists and others work together to provide integrated, coordinated care. They deliver this care with a personalized, compassionate approach that is at the center of Lahey’s philosophy and values.
About Spine Deformities
Conditions that cause a deformity of the spine in adults include scoliosis (curving of the spine), an injury from an accident, arthritis, osteoporosis and others. A condition such as scoliosis can begin in childhood, but in some cases it develops later in life, often after age 40.
Many people have minor symptoms from a spinal deformity and learn to live with it. But when pain is significant, or if the spine continues to curve considerably, surgery can make all the difference. Even people of advanced age can find tremendous relief with spine surgery.