FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is there an age limit for laser surgery?
There is no age limit to laser spine surgery. We have performed outpatient laser spine surgeries on patients ranging from 20 to 88 years old.

How many surgeries have you performed?
I have performed over 3500 spinal surgeries.

What is your success rate?
success rate on laser spine surgeries is 95% (depending on your medical condition).

Do you accept insurance? Do you accept Medicare?
Insurance does cover laser spine surgery and we do accept Medicare.

If you have had heart surgery are you still a possible candidate for laser surgery?
You can still have outpatient laser spine surgery if you are a heart patient. You will need to be cleared by your cardiologist and be off all blood thinners prior to surgery.

If you require both cervical and lumbar surgeries can they be performed at the same time?
I do not recommend doing cervical and lumbar spine surgery at the same time. Therefore, if you want me to do your surgery, you would require 2 different surgeries.

What are the costs of your procedures?
We accept most major medical insurance. However, you will have to contact our office for exact information for you. If our practice is considered "out of network" or you are paying cash, you will need to contact our business office for details regarding prices.

Do you accept workers' comp?
We do accept some worker's compensation insurance.

What makes you different from other spine surgeons?
We differ from other medical practices by: 1)We specialize in Spine care only. 2) We have a large amount of experience - over 3500 surgeries. We have been performing neck and back surgeries as outpatient surgery for over 5 years. 3) High patient satisfaction - over 95%. 4) High surgical success rate - 95% depending on your medical condition. 5) Through a multi-disciplinary approach, we provide full spine care - from conservative spine care to outpatient, minimally invasive spine care and spinal fusions.

What are the risks of laser surgery?
Risks with laser spine surgery are the same as any spinal surgery. Those risks include: continued pain, repeat surgery, recurrence of the problem, weakness, numbness, spinal fluid leak, spinal instability, infection, bleeding, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and risks with anesthesia. Although complications are uncommon and most complications can be fixed, should they occur.

What is the difference between a laminectomy and a laminotomy?
Laminectomy, laminotomy, hemilaminectomy, hemilaminotomy are all procedures that are performed by removing a portion of the back part of the spinal bone. These surgeries are designed to unpinch the underlying spinal nerves. The procedures differ in the amount of bone removed. Laminectomy and laminotomy are done to unpinch nerves on the right and left sides. The laminectomy removes more bone than a laminotomy. Laminectomy removes the entire lamina, while a laminotomy removes only a portion of the lamina. A hemilaminectomy or hemilaminotomy removes bone only on one side of the spine and takes care of a problem that is only on the left or the right.

Is board certification important and what does it mean?
Board certification means the doctor has successfully completed his residency and passed both a written and oral test designed by the national organization of Orthopedic Surgeons or Neurosurgeons.

What is it mean that you are fellowship trained and why is it important?
Fellowship training is additional elective training after residency. The fellowship allows a surgeon to specialize on the spine and enrich his or her surgical skills.

Are these procedures considered experimental?
These surgeries are not experimental. They are the same procedures that have been performed for numerous years, however, they are utilizing new technology (lasers) to assist with the surgery.

What medications should I avoid prior to surgery?
All blood thinners need to be stopped prior to surgery. Check with your primary care doctor to find out if and when these medications should be stopped.