No matter what type of spine surgery I discuss with patients, the most frequent question is, “If I get surgery now, won’t I just keep needing more surgery for the rest of my life?” The answer is possibly “yes”, but not why most patients think… The first concept needing belaboring is that disc degeneration is…
In 2002, a University of Wisconsin study published data on the average intelligence quotient (IQ) of various occupations. Medical doctors and natural scientists were among the top. Of course, the researchers graciously included “college professors” too. What a coincidence… However, where did the idiom, “It’s not brain surgery” originate? It may have started around the…
Most of the earth’s surface is ocean, and many major animal groups that exist today originated in the sea. Yet only 15% of animals live in the ocean, while 80% live on land. Quite a weird statistic, raising the question if aquatic animals are evolutionarily inferior? The neuroanatomy of some saltwater dwellers may actually suggest…
Foot drop is a condition in which the foot cannot elevate (dorsiflex) toward the sky. It can be on one side (unilateral) or both feet (bilateral) When muscle strength becomes less than a 3 out of 5, an abnormal gait pattern arises, due to the foot tripping on the ground. This is usually called a…
We’ve previously written a blog about “The Precision of the Surgical Knife”, highlighting the knife as one of the most useful tools in human history. The shape, size, and type of metal used in surgical knifes has evolved to match the advanced surgical needs. It partly has been the knife facilitating some surgeries previously not…
It may shock some, but the first neurological surgeries were performed at least semi-awake. As we discussed in prior blogs, Mesoamerican trephinations likely only used coca and wild tobacco. Maize beer may have limited pain. But even more, recent procedures, as modern neurosurgical techniques emerged in the late 1800s, weren’t all too different. Nitrous oxide…
Lumbar decompression for sciatica is a very common procedure, being performed over 480,000 times per year in the United States. Traditionally, decompression was performed as an “open” approach. During “open” decompression, often a multi-inch incision is made, the large back muscles are elevated off the spine, bone is removed, and the nerves are decompressed. However…
The Journal of the American Heart Association just published a study on modifiable lifestyle and risk factors for brain aneurysm rupture. In looking at the results of numerous other studies, thousands of patient data was included. As known for years, the greatest risk for aneurysm rupture is smoking and high blood pressure. Tobacco smoke contains…
Most brain aneurysms are thought to be congenital, meaning people are likely born with them. A weak point in the blood vessel wall allows an outpouching which can stay dormant or burst. About 5% of people have an aneurysm, however many are unaware since symptoms may not develop until rupture. Warning signs are often subtle…
On November 19, 2021, the current health summary of President Biden was released by Dr. Kevin O’Connor, DO, the physician of the President. Of note, the current White House physician (who is not the Surgeon General) was Dr. Biden’s personal physician prior to taking office. It is very unusual for the President’s previous PCP to…