What is the difference between an Orthopedic Surgeon and a Neurosurgeon for Spine Surgery?

Ludhiana Orthopedic Surgeon and a Neurosurgeon for Spine Surgery: If you are considering which one is better, the answer is not that simple; both of them have spine surgery specialities that can be considered for spinal surgeries. So how do you know which one you need to choose? To make the right decision, you need to consider what problem you are facing. Depending on your condition, the qualified doctor will give you the best treatment plan. Both neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons may be Medical Doctors (MD) or Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) who have undergone 5 to 6 years of surgical residency. There is a difference between their residency and it is given below.

Orthopedic Surgeons

Orthopedic surgeons focus on musculoskeletal ( which includes, joints, bones, and muscles) conditions. They can give you the diagnosis and treatment of all joint and bone problem such as:

• Sports injuries
• Trauma
• Spinal disorders
• Arthritis
• Bone Tumors
• Hand injuries and deformities
• Total Joint Replacement

Neurosurgeons

Neurosurgeons Main focus is on treating neurological issues and they are specialized in giving diagnosis and treatment for the disorders which includes:

• Brain
• Spine and spinal cord
• Nerves
• Intracranial and intraspinal vasculature

Once their training is completed, they can do additional specialized training in surgery.

• Orthopedic surgeons focus exclusively on one type of surgery such as spine, feet, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, elbows, hands, wrists, or they can split the practice between 2 broad areas.
• Neurosurgeons may focus exclusively on brain surgery, spine surgery, or both. In addition to the specialties they choose, orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons which means they can narrow the specialties even further by choosing to treat the patients.

Key factors to choose a spine surgeon

Spine Fellowships

Select the surgeon who participated in the training program in spine surgery because it shows the surgeon was willing to make an extra investment in training because they are highly skilled and their main focus is on spine surgery.

For example, The orthopedic doctor can give you better treatment for treating the condition like scoliosis. The neurosurgeon tends to be better qualified to perform intradural surgery to treat the condition like thecal sac tumor.

Speciality

Choose a surgeon who has the speciality to treat the condition or disorder you have. Choose a surgeon who can primarily give you spine surgery. Every type of surgery needs the expertise to do it with precision because this is the only way that can give you better results. You should ask your surgeon these questions:

• How much of your practice is focused on this specific type of surgery?
• What is your success rate with this type of surgery?
• How many of these specific surgeries do you do each year?

Surgical Advancements

You need to choose a surgeon who can perform minimally invasive surgery which helps the patient to be comfortable. Experienced and skilled surgeons have a better understanding and knowledge of the latest technology and surgical procedures.

For more information, you should book your appointment with a medical expert and he can guide you better about your condition.