HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SPINE SURGEON

• Is the spine surgeon board certified by the Medical Council Of India or National Board ??

(MCI certified postgraduate training in Orthopaedic surgery or Neurosurgery is must for a surgeon to practice spine surgery.)

• Has the spine surgeon completed a one-year fellowship in spine surgery?

(A fellowship involves more specialized training in advanced spinal surgery techniques including spinal fusion, minimally invasive spine surgery, and complex spinal reconstruction.)

• Is the spine surgeon part of a multidisciplinary Spine center?

(A Multidisciplinary spine centre is the one whether many spine surgeons are working round the clock along with a dedicated team of Neurosurgeon, Neurologist and Physiotherapists.)

• Is the spine surgeon trained in Endoscopic/ Microscopic and other minimally invasive techniques?

(Physicians who are certified in anesthesiology or pain management may be appropriately trained to perform spinal injections, but unless they have completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery or neurosurgery, they are not qualified to perform spine surgery.)

• Did the surgeon fully explain the diagnosis and cause of your pain?

• Did the surgeon offer a full range of treatment choices or immediately discuss surgical treatment?
  • Often you may still have several non-surgical care alternatives available, which may help you avoid unnecessary surgery.
• Do you feel comfortable with the surgeon and feel that all of your questions have been satisfactorily addressed?

Many patients choose surgeons based on recommendations of their friends, family or primary care physicians. This is a good way to have an idea about your surgeon’s treatment outcomes as well as how he relates to patients. If your relative or friend has had a good experience, then you will likely have a good experience. It is always important to understand that everyone’s problem is different, and each body responds uniquely to a procedure, so your experience will never exactly mirror that of another person.