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Neurosurgery Services
Lyerly Neurosurgery provides neurosurgical services to Baptist Medical Center, downtown. Our surgeons perform elective surgeries at this location as well as provide emergency neurosurgical coverage. Below are the basic types of procedures most commonly offered by a neurosurgeon when the patient is seen for an appointment in the office or seen in consultation in the hospital:
CRANIOTOMY - A craniotomy makes a window in the bone covering the brain. This allows a surgeon to reduce pressure beneath the skull or may be done to remove or repair abnormal structures in the brain. These procedures can often be performed using computer-assisted guidance resulting in smaller incisions and shorter recovery times.
LAMINOTOMY - A laminotomy involves the removal of a small portion of the lamina and attached ligaments. This procedure is thought to reduce the risk of spinal instability by preserving the neural arch.
DECOMPRESSIVE LAMINECTOMY - Decompressive laminectomy involves the removal of the posterior bony portion of the vertebra as well as the attached ligaments that cause compression of the spinal sac and nerve roots. This procedure is often referred to as "unroofing" the spine.
SPINAL FUSION - Spinal fusion is grafting bone onto the spine or using instruments such as screws and rods to provide additional spinal support.
However, these are broad categories and there are many services and specialized techniques in which our neurosurgeons have been pioneers or are on the leading
edge of technology. These include:
MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINAL SURGERY - Laminotomy,
laminectomy and fusion procedures are routinely performed using minimally invasive techniques. These are procedures performed through small incisions typically measuring from one-half inch to an inch in length in which nerves are decompressed, bones are fused and stabilizing rods, screws or plates are placed into the spine. These techinques employ muscle-splitting techniques which preserve muscular attachments to the spine and avoid cutting of muscle as with more traditionl techniques. These minimally invasive techniques may reduce hospital stays, decrease post-operative pain and improve short-term recovery and return to normal activities. Our surgeons have pioneered many of these techniques and have the largest experience in North Florida with minimally invasive surgery dating back to 1998 when they performed the first endoscopic removal of a Thoracic disk herniation in Florida. Our surgeons are committed to remaining the leaders in minimally invasive spinal surgery in North Florida.
DISK ARTHROPLASTY - AKA disk replacement therapy. Although this is a new technique with the recent approval of the first FDA authorized implant, our surgeons have remained on the forefront of disk replacenment and have served as consultants in the disk replacement industry with regards to a new artificial disk design and junction. We anticipate performing one of the first disk replacements in North Florida in 2005. Our surgeons are currently involved in design and testing of a cervical artificial disk.
DYNAMIC STABILIZATION - These are motion-preserving technologies applied in other areas of the spine beyond the disk. We will be investigators in an FDA study on the Wallis Device from Abbott Spine in 2005 and 2006. This is a minimally invasive lumbar spine implant for patients with back or leg pain that preserves the motion and may allow for disk regeneration. We will also be offering other implants for motion preservation such as facet stabilizing devices.
COMPUTER ASSISTED NEUROSURGERY - Currently our
surgeons use computer assisted techniques to perform minimally invasive or less invasive
and more accurate cranial surgery. This techique is known as neuronavigation and allows
the surgeon to be guided through his instruments by computer tracking as seen through the
pre-operative MRI scans or CT scans. We also employ these techinques for certain lumbar
spinal surgeries.
Questions or Comments?
email: Lyerly Neurosurgery
or call us at (904) 388-6518
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