With the temperatures dipping, there’s no better time to find a cozy spot inside and enjoy some memorable stories from The Spine Hospital at the Neurological Institute of New York.
The Future Begins in the Present: Building Strong Neurosurgeons
Mentoring the younger generation of neurosurgeons is not just a goal but a reality for our neurosurgeons. The Department of Neurosurgery has a mentorship program to guide medical students and residents on their journey to becoming neurosurgeons, and many successes have come from the program. Dr. Donald O. Quest, an Assistant Dean of Students at Columbia University, believes this mentoring will build the next generation into neurosurgeons of the highest quality.
Of Spider Webs and Spinal Cords: Dr. McCormick’s Rare Surgery
Rarely, tissues and fibers knit together, forming a web-like band of tissue in the spine. Because the band of tissue resembles a spider’s web, it is called an arachnoid web. When an arachnoid web forms, it can place pressure on the spinal cord and cause damage. Director of The Spine Hospital at The Neurological Institute of New York, Dr. Paul McCormick knows how to remove an arachnoid web from the spine and alleviate the pressure.
To continue reading…
Tandem Spinal Stenosis Poses Unique Challenges, Says Dr. Evan Johnson at NASS 2017
“Tandem” doesn’t describe only a two-person bicycle. The term can be coupled with the phrase “spinal stenosis” to refer to a hard-to-treat condition in which the spinal canal narrows in two or more places. Dr. Evan Johnson, Director of Physical Therapy at the Spine Hospital, moderated a symposium on the challenges of treating tandem spinal stenosis.
A Strong Result for Candace, Dr. McCormick and Dr. Angevine’s Patient
On top of having had a heart transplant, Candace Moose had several problems with her spine. She had scoliosis, spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal) and many herniated discs in her spine. She lived for years in this condition until her lower back pain wouldn’t go away and she had difficulty standing. At that point, she knew she needed help. She also knew she wasn’t the average patient; her medical condition was complex. So she sought “one of the top places in the country,” she says. And that’s how she found her treatment team: Dr. Paul McCormick and Dr. Peter Angevine.
To continue reading…
Spine Professionals Talk Back Pain at 92nd Street Y
Lower back pain is all too common, with about one in four Americans reporting lower back pain that lasted a full day at least once within the past three months. Neurosurgeon Dr. Christopher Mandigo and physical therapist Evan Johnson, D.P.T., took to the 92nd Street Y to talk about the causes of, and treatments for, lower back pain. Dr. Johnson focused on prevention and conservative treatments, and Dr. Mandigo explained the surgical options available.
