Historically, chemotherapy treatment has been driven by the type of tumor that it is directed towards. For example, small cell lung cancer would be treated with a specific chemotherapy regimen that would vary from that used to treat breast cancer. Similarly, the treatment for glioblastoma multiforme or aggressive brain cancer, would have a very different…
Obesity is a national epidemic. Luckily, we in Colorado have some of the lowest obesity rates in the country. When discussing obesity, we don’t just focus on just weight, but instead our weight in relation to our height. This is called the body mass index (BMI). Obesity is usually diagnosed with a BMI greater than…
The American golfer Tiger Woods has been a popular topic in neurosurgery over the last few years due to his back issues and multiple surgeries. In May 2010, he needed to withdraw in the final round of the Players Championship due to neck pain. In March 2014, he withdrew from another tournament for back pain.…
In the 1950s, researchers first discovered that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the basic building block of our genes. Living structures are simply a bunch of A, T, C and G nucleotides configured in different combinations in a double helix structure. By April 2003, the Human Genome Project completed the sequencing of the first human genome.…
Now that the weather is getting cooler, it might not seem like an ideal time to get into a regular physical activity routine to ease your back pain. However, it’s never too late to start a workout. Just keep in mind that some exercises are not good to do when you have back pain. Keep…
Have you ever thought to yourself, “I could be so much more productive with an extra set of hands”?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common cause of hand pain, numbness and weakness. It is caused by a ligament in our wrist pressing on the median nerve which supplies sensation and strength to parts of the hand. In most cases, a specific cause is not known. However overuse (such as typing on a computer), thyroid…
At Rocky Mountain Brain & Spine Institute, we have previously blogged about Spinal Cord Stimulation. This is a chronic pain treatment strategy since the 1960’s, and with advancements in technique is a reasonable option for certain patients. In its current use, spinal cord stimulation in the lower thoracic region treats only pain symptoms, and not…
Lumbar fusion involves “fusing” two bones together. The surgery usually requires removing nearly all of the disc, removing one or both facet joints in the back, and placing rods and screws to hold the lumbar bones together. Bone and other materials are packed in the prior disc space and around the rods and screws such…
It is clear that minimally invasive spine surgery using tubular retractors is beneficial compared to traditional spine surgery. In both decompressions (discectomy) and lumbar fusion, there appears to be less pain, less muscle injury, a lower rate of adjacent segment disease, lower complications and quicker recovery with tubular minimally invasive approaches.