doctor help

mgspivak · 10-06-2003, 03:15 PM

I am trying to help a friend who has damage to the cervical c1 and c2 vertibrae. As has been explained to me, the bones between the two vertibrae are rubbing due to a degenerative condition. Arthritis is also setting in. She is in extreme pain and at times (more and more) cannot function. She has been told that surgery is not an option. I am hoping to direct her to another doctor (it does not matter where location wise) for another opinion. Any information on the leading surgeons in this area that may be of help to her is greatly appreciated.

SCI-Nurse · 10-06-2003, 08:30 PM

I am assuming that this person does not have a spinal cord injury (yet). Please correct me if I am wrong.

I always recommend looking for a good spinal surgeon through your closest Level I trauma center and/or through your local university teaching hospital that offers both a residency and fellowship in spinal surgery. This could be either an orthopedic spine specialty, or a neurosurgical spine specialty. You can check with the closest Model System SCI Center to see who they recommend and use as well. Before attempting surgery, it is best to get at least two opinions, and I recommend getting these from both the neursurgery and orthopedic perspectives.

Your friend may need to travel (taking her existing Xrays and MRI studies with her) to see the best in this area, but this is well worth it in order to get the best treatment possible.

It is important that she knows that surgery on the spine in this area is risky at best, and any spinal surgery done primarily for pain tends to have a poor track record of completely eliminating the pain.

(KLD)

10-06-2003, 03:15 PM	#1
mgspivak Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Carlisle, PA Posts: 1	doctor help I am trying to help a friend who has damage to the cervical c1 and c2 vertibrae. As has been explained to me, the bones between the two vertibrae are rubbing due to a degenerative condition. Arthritis is also setting in. She is in extreme pain and at times (more and more) cannot function. She has been told that surgery is not an option. I am hoping to direct her to another doctor (it does not matter where location wise) for another opinion. Any information on the leading surgeons in this area that may be of help to her is greatly appreciated.

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10-06-2003, 08:30 PM	#2
SCI-Nurse Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: USA Posts: 29,485	I am assuming that this person does not have a spinal cord injury (yet). Please correct me if I am wrong. I always recommend looking for a good spinal surgeon through your closest Level I trauma center and/or through your local university teaching hospital that offers both a residency and fellowship in spinal surgery. This could be either an orthopedic spine specialty, or a neurosurgical spine specialty. You can check with the closest Model System SCI Center to see who they recommend and use as well. Before attempting surgery, it is best to get at least two opinions, and I recommend getting these from both the neursurgery and orthopedic perspectives. Your friend may need to travel (taking her existing Xrays and MRI studies with her) to see the best in this area, but this is well worth it in order to get the best treatment possible. It is important that she knows that surgery on the spine in this area is risky at best, and any spinal surgery done primarily for pain tends to have a poor track record of completely eliminating the pain. (KLD)