Welcome to The Spinal Foundation
We believe that no-one should have to suffer
long-term back pain.
If you suffer with any of the following:
or have had a Failed Back Surgery such as:
or if you are suffering with an infirmity such as:
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Coronary thrombosis
- cardiac arrhythmias
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Multiple sclerosis
- Motor neurone disease
- Parkinsonism
- Stroke
- Specific bleeding disorders
or if you are deemed to be too elderly for conventional surgery,
or if you are a Jehovah'Witness where blood loss avaoidance is so important,
or if you are tired of Chronic Pain Management or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy,
then Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in the form of Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression and Foraminoplasty can help to restore your quality of life.
We have been pioneering and developing Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression and Foraminoplasty Surgery since 1990. This starts with Aware State Diagnosis with the patient partially conscious. This has taught us so much about the true origins of back and neck and referred pain which is unavailable to conventional doctors and surgeons. It allows us to define the source of your pain and to target your treatment precisely, discretely and precisely thus avoiding the overkill of open surgery. Whether you be young or 90 years of age, infirm with Diabetes, a stroke, a coronary, multiple sclerosis, sportsman or entertainer this technique can restore your life.
Please click on the keywords above to see more information or read below our philosophy. This site is packed with detail for you to drill through derived from this academic research centre. For instance explore our work on:
- Osteoporosis and its Treatment
- Keyhole Nucleus Disc Replacement
- X-Stop Interspinous Spacer Implantation
Our Philosophy:
Conservative Approach
Whilst we are a surgical unit, we have a holistic approach. At the outset, we work with you and Muscle Balance Physiotherapists to improve your posture and spine function in the hope of avoiding surgery for you. Based on years of research and careful analysis, the minimal invasive spinal surgery treatment strategies that we have developed, enable you to choose for yourself, your preferred means of treatment. “Aware State” diagnosis enhances the accuracy of diagnosing the source of pain and “Aware State” minimal invasive spinal surgery allows precise treatment with the minimum of disturbance of tissues in your spine and minimal disturbance to its function making Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery a compelling alternative to traditional spinal surgery.
Produces encouraging results and less complications
Our results have been encouraging even in patients with common place “slipped discs” but also failed back surgery, failed fusion surgery, lateral recess stenosis, spondylolytic spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, multi-level degenerative disc disease, instability, failed cognitive behavioural therapy, failed coping courses. The absence of general anaesthesia reduces the risk of complications up to 7-fold and allows us to operate on older and infirm patients.
Inappropiate diagnostic labels
Diagnostic labels have been born from anatomy studies and the results of surgery on anesthetised patients. The rationale for specific surgical procedures is therefore based upon these "distant" observations and thus the understanding of the mechanisms and sources of pain are poorly understood by conventional spinal surgeons. Aware state examination has taught us so much about the sources of pain and the mechanisms by which these factors produce back, buttock and leg pain or neck, head, shoulder or arm pain.
Thus, Foraminoplasty as a procedure was derived as a means of treating the sources of pain in the foramen and in the disc. Foraminoplasty is not Foraminotomy. Foraminotomy is simply the enlargement of the foramen which unfortunately misses the point of Foraminoplasty. Foraminoplasty requires the clearance of the nerve from impingement by the Superior Foraminal Ligament, facet joint overgrowth and bone spurs, scarring, displacement of the nerve, vertebral osteophytic bars and shoulder bone spurs and mobilisation of the nerve from the inferior pedicle etc. So evaluate sites that advocate Foraminotomy with caution because in fact the procedure will not be so effective as procedures being carried out in centres trained here to carry out Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression and Foraminoplasty.
Preserves your options for future treatment
We support our patients at every stage. Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery preserves your options should your spine continue to degenerate, allowing you to take advantage of evolving techniques such as keyhole disc replacement in the future.
Avoids phrases like…
The pain is "all in your head" and you will just have to "live with it". This is merely a challenge to us to go and find that pain source rather than walk away.
Please review our web site - and give us the opportunity to help you too."
The Spinal Foundation Team
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