Spinal Surgery

If you need lower back, neck or spine surgery, you’re in expert hands at UMass Memorial Center for Spine Health. Our surgeons are leaders in their field, providing routine and complex procedures, including spine surgery revisions. At UMass Memorial, orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons work together to provide seamless care for patients with spinal conditions.

Most back and neck conditions improve without surgery. But if nonsurgical treatments don’t provide enough relief, surgery may be the right choice. Spinal surgery is a big decision, and our experts carefully evaluate your medical history, symptoms and lifestyle before recommending any procedures. We personalize your treatment based on your lifestyle, activities and goals. Our team answers your questions so you can feel confident in your treatment. 

Common Spinal Surgeries We Provide

Our team is skilled in the full range of minimally invasive and traditional spinal surgeries, including:

Foraminotomy

We relieve pressure on a nerve by widening the foramen (opening in your spine where nerves exit). A foraminotomy can treat a compressed (pinched) nerve and lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of your spinal canal).

Kyphoplasty

Kyphoplasty treats spinal cord compression, which is usually a result of injuries or osteoporosis. Our surgeons use minimally invasive techniques to repair the broken vertebrae with tiny incisions, and you typically go home the same day.

Laminectomy (Spinal Decompression Surgery)

During a laminectomy, our surgeons remove a piece of your spine’s lamina (small part of your vertebrae). A laminectomy can treat spinal stenosis, which is caused by osteoarthritis of the neck and back, lumbar disk disease or cervical spondylosis. A laminectomy takes the pressure off of nerves or areas of the spinal cord that are causing pain.

Microdiscectomy 

Also known as minimally invasive lumbar diskectomy, microdiscectomy involves removing all or part of a damaged disk in your back. This surgery can treat nerve problems from a herniated disk, such as sciatica and numbness and tingling in your arms or legs. Our surgeons offer this as a minimally invasive alternative to traditional diskectomy surgery.

Spinal Fusion

This surgery fuses (joins) two or more of your vertebrae together to create one bone. Our surgeons are experienced in providing spinal fusion in the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine. This surgery treats a range of conditions, including herniated disks, spinal fractures, scoliosis and kyphosis.

Cervical Disk Replacement

A worn or herniated disk in your cervical spine (neck) can cause significant pain and loss of function. During a cervical disk replacement, our surgeons replace the damaged disk with a new, artificial one. We use CT scan-guided navigation for precise placement of spinal implants.

Cervical Laminoplasty

During a cervical laminoplasty, our spine surgeons relieve pressure on the nerves or spinal cord in your neck. This procedure does not remove or fuse bone, and you keep full motion in your neck. Our team uses advanced microscope-enhanced visualization, which allows us to view the tiniest nerves during your surgery.

Our Complex Spine Surgery Capabilities 

Our multidisciplinary approach allows us to provide complex surgeries using the latest methods.  Orthopedic spine surgeons, oncologists, radiation oncologists and neurosurgeons work together to offer these advanced procedures.

Surgery for Spinal Fractures and Spinal Trauma

We provide a high volume of surgeries for injuries that affect your spine or spinal cord. Our team offers minimally invasive surgery whenever possible, so you have a faster, easier recovery.

Surgery for Spinal Tumors

Our surgeons remove all types of benign and cancerous spinal cord tumors, including metastatic cancers of the bone or spinal cord. We work closely with cancer specialists and neurosurgeons to ensure you receive the best possible results.

Spinal Reconstruction

We provide advanced surgical techniques for adolescents and adults with scoliosis and kyphosis, including complex procedures that aren’t widely available. Thanks to our multidisciplinary approach and leading-edge technology, we can safely correct severe spinal deformities.

Second Opinions About Back Surgery

We want you to be confident in your health care decisions, whether or not you choose surgery. We encourage you to get a second opinion before undergoing back or neck surgery. Our physicians also regularly provide second opinions for patients considering spinal surgery at another practice.