Offering Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery
The Spine Center at Potomac Hospital specializes in treating a variety of back problems, some with medication, some with physical therapy, and some with surgery, including MISS—Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery. This approach means small incisions, shorter hospital stays and less scarring.
With minimally invasive spinal surgery, physicians use specially designed surgical tools that are more precise, cause less damage to the surrounding tissue and require much smaller incisions. These benefits promote a faster recovery for the patient.
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The center puts a solid team in the patient’s corner. Highly specialized surgeons, nurses, operating room staff and anesthesiologists provide the care. Backing them up is the hospital’s full complement of medical specialists and therapists.
Low back pain is common. Causes may include ruptured or herniated discs; osteoarthritis, where discs or vertebrae deteriorate; sprains; infections; inflammation; and tumors, although these are rare.
“There are many things that may cause back pain,” says Paymaun Lotfi, M.D. (novaorthospine.com), orthopedic surgeon and specialist in MISS. “Usually back pain is a cumulative result of years of misuse or overuse. Many people think that one movement caused their problem, when in actuality, it was the same movement over a period of time.”
He says factors contributing to back pain may include a job that involves frequent bending or lifting, being overweight, smoking, lack of exercise and bad posture.
Most back pain is temporary and is treatable medically or with physical therapy. But for some, surgery is the best course.
“One common procedure that we can now perform with MISS is removing herniated discs that are putting pressure on the spinal nerve roots and causing pain,” neurosurgeon Charles Azzam, M.D., says. “Many people have this problem and are very relieved to know they don’t have to undergo traditional back surgery to feel better again.”
For more information about The Spine Center and surgeons on Potomac Hospital’s medical staff, call Potomac’s Health Connection at (703) 221-2500.
Orthopedic surgeon Paymaun Lotfi, M.D., medical director of the Spine Center, (left) and neurosurgeon Charles Azzam, M.D., offer Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery at Potomac Hospital. Dr. Lotfi can be reached at (703) 490-1112. Dr. Azzam can be reached at (703) 490-8283.
