COMMON SPINE CONDITIONS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS

Common spine conditions include:

• Spondylolisthesis - the slippage or displacement of a vertebra
• Disc herniation - where a tear in the outer ring of an intervertebral disc allows the central portion to bulge out
• Spinal stenosis - the narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen resulting in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots
• Spinal deformity - a curvature of the spine such as side-to-side curvature (scoliosis) and front-to-back curvature (kyphosis)
• Pathologic fracture - a bone fracture caused by disease (such as osteoporosis) resulting in weakness of the bone structure

Surgical procedures that may be considered for treating spine conditions include:​

• Fusion - the joining of vertebrae to stop movement between the fused vertebrae and prevent back pain caused by stretching nearby nerves, ligaments, and muscles
• Discectomy - the removal of abnormal disc material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord ​
• Laminectomy - the removal or trimming of a portion of the vertebral bone to widen the spinal canal and create more space for the spinal nerves and thecal sac
• Foraminotomy - a minimally invasive procedure where an incision is made in the back and a small hole is cut into the vertebra to remove impinging bone or disc material

SPECIAL INTEREST

Phillip offers a comprehensive range of treatment options, from spinal injections and minimally invasive procedures to complex, multi-level, open surgery. 

His areas of expertise include:

• Minimally invasive surgery for disc herniations, vertebral compression fractures and degenerative disc disease
• Non-surgical management of common spinal conditions, including injection treatment
• Complex cases and revision surgery