The Allegheny General Hospital Department of Neurosurgery provides comprehensive surgical treatment of spinal diseases and injuries.  Our physicians and surgeons are experienced in all spinal disorders, including tumors, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, vascular malformations, and arthritis of the spine.  State of the art treatment is provided by our coordinated team of neurosurgeons, neurologists, consulting medical specialists, physical therapists, nurses, and support staff.  Our goal is to improve each patient’s condition and quality of life with the most advanced and least invasive treatment available.  Some of the clinical services provided include:

• Endoscopic and minimally invasive spinal surgery
• Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar disc disease care
• Tumors of the spinal column
• Adult vertebral compression fractures
• Cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis
• Scoliosis and spinal deformity
• Spinal trauma
• Arthritic and degenerative conditions of the spine
• Cervical and lumbar artificial disc replacement

The first goal of care for non-urgent spinal problems is to employ state of the art medical treatments as large numbers of patients will become symptom-free over 4-6 weeks. Surgical approaches are considered if medical treatments do not result in significant improvement of pain or the patient remains functionally limited. Immediate surgery may be necessary when urgent spinal problems cause loss of neurologic function.