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.
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.
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.