Spine Surgery Basics

Dr. Patel serves as the chief of orthopaedic spine surgery at the University of Colorado. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and worked as an engineer before earning a combined master's of arts and medical degree at Washington University in St. Louis. He currently focuses on spinal non-fusion technologies, including disc replacement, dynamic stabilization, alternative bone graft materials for fusion, minimally invasive surgical techniques and computer-assisted surgery. He has extensive clinical and surgical experience with cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal disorders.

• General: Anatomy.- Physical Exam: Cervical.- Physical Exam: Lumbosacral.- Imaging Basics (basics of anatomy on radiographic imaging plus bone scans, DEXA, etc.).- Diagnostic Evaluations (injections, EMG, etc).- General Surgical Principles (guidelines for informed consent, patient positioning for surgery, equipment needed, post operative considerations).- Surgical Approaches.- Cervical and Thoracic Instrumentation.- Lumbar and Lumbosacral Instrumentation.- Bone graft and Bone Substitute Biology.- Neuromonitoring. Degenerative Spine: Cervical Disc Herniation and Radiculopathy.- Cervical Stenosis and Myelopathy.- Thoracic Disc Herniation.- Lumbar Disc Herniation.- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis.- Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.- Spondylolysis and Isthmic spondylolisthesis.- Degenerative Disc Disease with and without Facet Arthritis.- Degenerative Spinal Scoliosis/Deformity. Pediatric Spine: Scoliosis.- Kyphosis.- Congenital.- Spondylolysis and Isthmic Spondylolisthesis.- Spondylolysis and Isthmic Spondylolisthesis.- Occipital and Upper cervical spine (Occ-C2).- Sub-axial cervical spine (C2-C7).- Thoracolumbar spine (T1-L2).- Low lumbar spine (L3-L5).- Sacral spine and pelvis.- Acute Spinal Cord Injury. Tumor, Infection, Inflammatory and Metabolic Conditions: Primary spine tumors.- Primary spine tumors.- Metastatic spine tumors.- Primary spine infections.- Intradural spine tumors.- Rheumatoid Arthritis.- Ankylosing Spondylitis and DISH.- Osteoporosisand the Aging Spine. Complications: Postoperative Infection.- Dural tear.- Neurological injury.- Pseudarthrosis/Nonunion.- Pseudarthrosis/Nonunion.- Medical complications (VTE, Pneumonia, Cardiac Disease, Mortality).

"This book- Spine Surgery Basics, definitely serves the purpose of Overview of Spinal disorders for New Students. ... This book Spine Surgery Basics- is very useful book for Medical Undergraduates, First year Resident doctors of Orthopaedic Postgraduates, even Paramedics and Paramedics of Operating room, Physiotherapist and Nursing students. Small Book- Big content. Very fast reference book. Congrats to Authors of Book- Spine Surgery Basics." (Amazon.in, September, 2015) "This textbook covers cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine surgery and instrumentation current to 2013. ... Radiographic, CT, and MRI imaging of the spinal cord pathologies are clear and well thought out for both students and expert surgeons to grasp and follow. ... I highly recommend this book to neurosurgeons and orthopaedic spinal experts." (Joseph J. Grenier, Amazon.com, December, 2013) "This book is an excellent resource for trainees entering spine training. ... This book is an easy read for entry level trainees and just covers the basics so they have a resource to be an active and functional participant in patient care." (Heidi Armbruster, Amazon.com, October, 2013)