Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and spine, nerves. The diagnostic phase makes use of the activities related to neurology, orthopedics, radiology and electrophysiology and provides the framework of the disease by defining the possible areas of surgical intervention.

Who could benefit from this service?

There are many conditions that can be treated by the neurosurgery specialist, from the most serious diseases affecting the nervous system, to head and spine injuries, vertebral collapses, hernias with compression on the spinal cord, neoplasms and malformations, conditions affecting the peripheral nerves. Great care and delicacy is required therefore the neurosurgeon must provide clear ability and competence. Neurosurgical activity does not always require hospital admissions but can be resolved with procedures performed on an outpatient basis.

Herniated disc

It is represented by an expulsion of the nucleus of the intervertebral disc (cushion that separates the vertebrae) which can be consequent to degeneration, trauma, and excessive efforts. Sometimes the protrusion of the nucleus (particularly in young patients) can spontaneously decrease as a result of the natural dehydration of the material that represents the hernia. “Back pain” is often considered natural low back pain caused by age or fatigue but, in a fair percentage of cases, it hides a vertebral collapse or a herniated disc. When the disc herniation compresses the nerves that come out of the spinal cord it causes pain, tingling, cramps; sometimes the muscles that correspond to the part of the compressed marrow or spinal nerves touched by the herniated disc are affected by a reduction in the volume and strength.

The safe assessment of a disc condition is guaranteed by performing magnetic resonance imaging which clearly outlines the type of herniated disc and helps the neurosurgeon to intervene appropriately. Hernias are generally identified by the site (cervical, dorsal, lumbar, lumbosacral) and by the type of hernia (disc protrusion, protruded hernia, expelled or migrated hernia). The surgical options are always decided by the neurosurgeon who evaluates the possible benefits and the operating risks.

What to expect?

The possibilities of hernia treatment can be conservative via local or general drug therapy, physical therapy, rest, microsurgery, use of lasers, ozone infiltrations or manipulative treatment. Hernia surgery is generally indicated when the pain cannot be corrected in any other way or when other therapeutic attempts have failed.

Why choose MediClinic?

MediClinic’s Neurosurgery team carefully evaluates all possible options to solve neurosurgical problems by resorting to surgery when the evidence faced by Evidence Based Medicine recurs, providing indication for surgery.