Common neurosurgical conditions treated include cervical and lumbar disc problems, fusion and artificial disc replacement, Chiari malformations, syringomyelia, instrumentation, minimally invasive surgery, revision surgery.
Often, many age-related conditions (otherwise known unflatteringly as "degenerative disease") can be treated by non-surgical methods including pain management, injections, physiotherapy, and musculoskeletal treatments. If surgery is a possibility, whether to proceed depends on the balance of many factors including the estimated benefit or success of surgery, the possible risks of surgery, whether alternative treatments are possible, and what would happen if surgery were not performed.
David specialises in Complex Spine conditions including spinal metastases, primary spine tumours (Sarcomas and Chordomas for example), intradural tumours (eg. Ependymomas, Neurofibromas, Schwannomas, spinal cord tumours), and complex spine reconstruction. The decision to operate is not always an easy one, and involves discussion between patient, surgeon, and oncologist in the first instance. All cases are discussed at a weekly multidisciplinary team meeting, taking into consideration individual patient's preferences.
If you would like further details on specific conditions, please follow the links below to the British Association of Spine Surgeons general information pages:
- Lumbar facet joint injections
- Anterior Lumbar interbody fusion
- Transforaminal Lumbar interbody fusion
- Degenerative Lumbar spondylolisthesis