Luncheon Addresses Spinal Pain

ORANGE CITY, Fla., November 21, 2017 On Nov. 15, nearly 80 community members joined Florida Hospital Fish Memorial for a physician-led seminar.

Over lunch at the DeBary Golf and Country Club, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stephane Lavoie explained the various minimally invasive options for treating spinal conditions.

Minimally invasive spinal surgery is an evolution of procedures, not a revolution, Lavoie said during the event. These less invasive surgeries must still accomplish the surgical goal while at the same time, minimizing scar formation and tissue trauma.

The advantages of minimally invasive spinal surgery include a shorter hospital stay, decreased muscle trauma, less post-operative pain, less blood loss, faster recovery and return to work, and a decrease in narcotic use.

One such minimally invasive spinal surgery is kyphoplasty, designed to treat compression fractures of the spine.

Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become weak and brittle and it is a public health problem, he said. Worldwide, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 are affected by osteoporosis. In the U.S., there are 1.5 million fragility fractures each year, and of those, 700,000 fractures in the spine.

Vertebral fractures result in height loss and kyphosis, which is an abnormal curving of the upper back that creates a hunchback appearance.

In addition, vertebral fractures can lead to chronic back pain, restrictions on daily activities, and decreased pulmonary function, said Lavoie. A patient with few fractures and severe kyphosis is likely to experience more profound physical, social, and psychological consequences than a patient with less severe kyphosis.

The kyphoplasty surgery can minimally invasively treat a spinal compression fracture that has been weakened by osteoporosis.

About Florida Hospital Fish Memorial

Florida Hospital Fish Memorial is a member of Adventist Health System, a faith-based health care organization with 45 hospital campuses and 8,200 licensed beds in nine states, serving more than 5 million patients annually. With a mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial has 175-beds and is one of the seven Florida Hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties that composes the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region. As the largest hospital system in the area, the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region has 1,226 beds and more than 7,800 employees.