11/4/2023 0 Comments Hughston clinic columbus ga![]() The surgeon accesses the spine using small instruments that fit inside the tubular retractor. The tubular retractor holds the muscles open creating a tunnel to the problem area in the spine. ![]() To do the surgery, the surgeon will make small incisions to reduce blood loss and limit tissue damage, and will use specialized tools and tubular retractors to separate the muscles while performing the operation. This problem has considerably improved with the use of the tubular retractor. For example, a major drawback of open surgery was the retraction of the muscle, which often caused damage to the soft tissue, resulting in additional pain and healing time. There are a number of devices and approaches that help the surgeon perform spine surgery. Those who perform this specialized surgery are spinal surgeons with additional training in minimally invasive surgery. Researchers developed less invasive surgical techniques to treat spinal problems with less injury to the muscles and other structures in the spine. In contrast, the surgeon who practice minimally invasive spinal techniques use tiny incisions and special instruments to perform the surgery ( Fig). Then, the surgeon can place bone graft material, cages, rods, or screws as needed. Once the muscles are moved, the surgeon can access the spine and remove any diseased or damaged bone or tissue. With traditional open spinal surgery, the surgeon makes a long incision and then retracts, or moves the muscles to the side. Since then, minimally invasive procedures have advanced significantly, becoming the mainstay across orthopedics. In 1939, orthopedic surgeons first performed knee arthroscopy. These procedures, both diagnostic (an exam or test to determine a condition, disease, or illness) and therapeutic (a treatment), have been around for a long time. Surgeons perform minimally invasive procedures through tiny incisions instead of a large opening. Although the approach to back surgery was invasive and required a long recovery, it was the only option for many people seeking relief from chronic back pain caused by ruptured discs, trauma, tumors, deformities, degenerative disc disease, and infection. With damage to the soft tissue, it often took patients months to heal and to return to normal activity. The traditional surgery was often “invasive,” meaning that the procedure required a sizeable incision, and cutting into muscles to reach the problem area. For those who do require surgery, he uses the least invasive operative solution possible to help the patient heal quickly and achieve the very best outcome.In the very early days of spine surgery, the surgeon had little more than his or her training, experience, and a scalpel to perform complex and delicate musculoskeletal cases. Many of his patients do not require surgery, and are often successfully treated using nonsurgical options. Westerlund appreciates that every patient is unique and that every neck and back problem requires a special, thoughtful solution. As a fellowship-trained reconstructive spine surgeon, Dr. ![]() Westerlund specializes in orthopaedic spinal surgery with an emphasis on minimally invasive techniques. He will continue to research spinal disease and injuries at the Hughston Foundation and to present his findings at national and international meetings.ĭr. Westerlund has published extensively in scientific journals and he has published numerous textbook chapters. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the Georgia Orthopedic Society and Southern Orthopedic Association. Westerlund is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and the North American Spine Society. Westerlund completed a fellowship at the Thomas Jefferson University Medical Center and Rothman Institute Division of Spine Surgery in Philadelphia, PA.ĭr. To receive his speciality in spine surgery, Dr. He also completed his residency in orthopaedic surgery at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville, VA. After medical school, he went to the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center where he completed a general surgery internship and a post-doctoral research fellowship in Applied Orthopaedic Biomechanics. Erik Westerlund, MD, FACS, graduated from The University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biological Sciences in Charlottesville, VA, and he earned his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, DC.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |