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Straight answers to common questions about brain and spine conditions, neurosurgical treatments, minimally invasive procedures, robotic spine surgery, consultations, recovery, and care throughout Southwest Florida.
For selected patients whose walking difficulty is related to neurogenic claudication from spinal stenosis, decompression surgery may help relieve pressure on affected nerves and improve walking tolerance. Individual outcomes depend on the diagnosis, degree of compression, duration of symptoms, overall health, and other clinical factors.
Read MoreYes. Metastatic spinal tumors occur when cancer from another area of the body spreads to the spine. The spine can also be affected by primary tumors, including meningiomas and schwannomas.
Read MoreNo. The appropriate plan depends on the tumor’s type, location, size, symptoms, imaging findings, overall health, and treatment goals. Care may include monitoring, surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery through radiation-oncology collaboration, medical-oncology coordination, or another specialized approach.
Read MoreNo. Many herniated discs can initially be managed with non-surgical treatment. Surgery may be considered when symptoms persist, a disc is causing significant nerve compression, or neurologic findings support surgical evaluation.
Read MoreReferral requirements depend on your insurance plan. HMO and EPO plans generally require a referral from a primary-care provider. For other plans, patients may schedule directly. Apex Brain & Spine accepts most major health insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Read MoreApex Brain & Spine evaluates scheduled brain and spine conditions, including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, brain tumors, aneurysms, compression fractures, and other neurosurgical concerns. For sudden or life-threatening symptoms, including severe headache, new weakness, seizure, loss of consciousness, severe trauma, or loss of bladder or bowel control, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency […]
Read MoreYes. Apex Brain & Spine uses the Globus ExcelsiusGPS system for robotic-assisted spine surgery when clinically appropriate. Robotic navigation supports imaging-based planning and the placement of spinal instrumentation during selected procedures. It does not replace the neurosurgeon and is not needed for every spine surgery.
Read MoreYes. Apex Brain & Spine evaluates hydrocephalus and normal pressure hydrocephalus through a review of symptoms, medical history, imaging, and relevant testing. Normal pressure hydrocephalus can affect walking, balance, thinking, and bladder control, particularly in older adults.
Read MoreNo. Some Chiari malformations can be monitored. Treatment recommendations depend on symptoms, imaging findings, neurologic examination, cerebrospinal-fluid flow, associated conditions, and the individual clinical situation.
Read MoreNo. Treatment depends on the degree of slippage, spinal stability, symptoms, imaging findings, neurologic concerns, and the impact on daily life. Some patients may benefit from non-surgical care or decompression, while others may need fusion to stabilize the spine.
Read MoreNot every brain or spine condition requires surgery. The timing of treatment depends on the diagnosis, symptoms, neurologic findings, imaging, overall health, and whether there is an identifiable condition that requires more urgent care. For many pain-related conditions, conservative treatment may be considered before surgery.
Read MoreWhen clinically appropriate, a minimally invasive approach may limit disruption to surrounding muscle and tissue compared with some traditional open approaches. Incision size, recovery, pain, and outcomes vary by procedure, diagnosis, and individual patient.
Read MoreTLIF, PLIF, and ALIF are lumbar fusion approaches that access and stabilize the spine in different ways. PLIF is performed through the back of the spine, while ALIF is performed through the front of the abdomen. The appropriate approach depends on anatomy, diagnosis, spinal alignment, affected level, symptoms, imaging, and treatment goals.
Read MoreSpine tumor surgery may address primary spinal tumors, spinal metastases, tumors causing spinal-cord or nerve compression, tumor-related pain, spinal instability, pathologic fractures, or neurologic concerns. Treatment may involve biopsy, tumor removal, decompression, stabilization, radiation-oncology coordination, or another specialized approach.
Read MoreYour appointment may include a review of symptoms, medical history, prior treatment, neurologic concerns, and relevant imaging such as MRI, CT, or X-ray studies. Your neurosurgeon reviews imaging with you, explains the findings, and discusses the treatment options that may be appropriate.
Read MoreChiari decompression is a surgical treatment that may be considered for selected patients with symptomatic Chiari malformation. The procedure is intended to create additional space at the base of the skull and relieve pressure in the affected area.
Read MoreKyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that may be considered for selected patients with painful vertebral compression fractures. A small balloon may be placed inside the fractured vertebra before bone cement is used to help stabilize the bone. It is not appropriate for every compression fracture.
Read MoreMicrodiscectomy removes the portion of a herniated disc pressing on a spinal nerve through a small incision. It may be considered for selected patients with disc-related radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness when non-surgical treatment has not provided sufficient relief or when surgery is otherwise appropriate.
Read MoreMinimally invasive laminectomy is a procedure that removes the portion of bone or ligament contributing to spinal nerve compression. It may be considered for selected patients with spinal stenosis, herniated-disc-related compression, spondylolisthesis, or another cause of spinal narrowing. The incision is often approximately 1 to 2 inches long.
Read MoreMinimally invasive spine surgery uses smaller incisions and specialized instruments to treat selected conditions affecting the spinal nerves, discs, and vertebrae while limiting disruption to surrounding tissue. It may be considered for selected patients with herniated discs, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, compression fractures, spinal tumors, and related conditions.
Read MoreSpinal cord stimulator removal, also called explant surgery, involves removing the implanted generator, leads, or both. It may be considered when a device no longer provides meaningful relief, causes discomfort or complications, has hardware concerns, interferes with other care, or is no longer appropriate for the treatment plan.
Read MoreSpinal fusion may be considered when abnormal spinal movement or instability contributes to pain, nerve symptoms, deformity, or other spinal problems. It may be used for selected patients with spondylolisthesis, spinal instability, advanced degenerative changes, deformity, recurrent disc-related problems, or conditions requiring both decompression and stabilization.
Read MoreStereotactic radiosurgery is a non-invasive treatment that delivers focused radiation to selected areas of the brain. For appropriate patients, Apex Brain & Spine coordinates treatment planning with radiation-oncology colleagues in the Naples area. It may be used alone or as part of a broader treatment plan based on the diagnosis and tumor characteristics.
Read MoreAneurysm clipping is an open surgical procedure that places a small clip across the base of an aneurysm to stop blood from entering the weakened area of the blood vessel. Endovascular treatment uses specialized devices delivered through the blood vessels, including coil embolization or flow-diverting stents, to treat selected aneurysms. The best option depends on […]
Read MoreApex Brain & Spine evaluates herniated discs, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, compression fractures, spinal trauma, lumbar synovial cysts, spinal tumors, and other causes of back, neck, arm, or leg symptoms.
Read MoreFor selected patients, shunt placement may be considered to divert excess cerebrospinal fluid and reduce pressure. The recommendation depends on the cause and type of hydrocephalus, symptoms, imaging findings, medical history, overall health, and treatment goals.
Read MoreTreatment may include monitoring, microsurgical clipping, coil embolization, Pipeline flow-diverting stent placement, or another approach. The recommendation is based on the aneurysm’s size, shape, location, rupture status, symptoms, imaging findings, and the patient’s overall health.
Read MoreTreatment may include observation, minimally invasive burr-hole drainage, or middle meningeal artery embolization for selected chronic subdural hematoma cases. The appropriate approach depends on the hematoma’s type, size, location, symptoms, imaging, and the patient’s overall health.
Read MoreCall 911 or seek emergency care immediately for sudden severe headache, signs of stroke, new weakness or numbness, difficulty speaking, confusion, seizure, loss of consciousness, severe head injury, sudden vision changes, or another severe neurologic symptom.
Read MoreSeek emergency care immediately for sudden severe pain after trauma, new or worsening weakness, numbness in the groin or saddle area, loss of bladder or bowel control, fever with severe back pain, difficulty walking that develops suddenly, or another rapidly worsening neurologic concern.
Read MoreChronic subdural hematoma is more common in older adults and may be more likely in people taking blood-thinning medications. New neurologic symptoms should be evaluated promptly.
Read MoreApex Brain & Spine may use a hair-sparing approach when clinically appropriate, meaning little to no hair may need to be shaved. Whether this is possible depends on the diagnosis, tumor location, surgical approach, and individual circumstances.
Read MoreWhen appropriate, Apex Brain & Spine coordinates with radiation oncology and other cancer specialists as part of an individualized treatment plan. The role of surgery, radiation, systemic treatment, monitoring, or other care depends on the tumor, symptoms, spinal stability, and overall cancer-treatment plan.
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