by Kristen Karig Public Relations

Spinal related disorders are one of the most common ailments affecting our society today—about 80 percent of Americans suffer from low back problems at some time during their lives, and spinal diseases are the most common cause of disability in persons less than 45.

So a place where patients have access to spine surgeons, experts in pain management and chronic pain rehabilitation, all in one clinic, is good news.

In one visit to MUSC’s University Spine Specialists, a patient can be evaluated by several physicians, begin a treatment plan, or set up an appropriate physical therapy regime. For patients who travel from other areas of the state to MUSC, University Spine Specialists’ unified approach to treatment is especially helpful.

Spinal cord disorders affect both children and adults and range from degenerative changes which affect all of us as part of the natural aging process, to traumatic injuries, to spinal cord tumors.

“Because the spectrum of spinal disorder is so diverse, it’s difficult for one person to be an expert in everything,” said Brian Cuddy, M.D., assistant professor of neurosurgery. “By bringing the experts together, we’ve eliminated the need for multiple visits to different doctors for different services.”

Not only does integrating a multi-specialty staff within a single system increase convenience for the patient, it has also greatly enhanced each physician’s ability to deliver care.

“It promotes ongoing communication amongst all of the specialists so patient care and treatment plans are managed efficiently and effectively,” Cuddy said. Maggie Kelley, a clinic specialist and nurse practitioner, who evaluates each patient on his or her initial visit, works closely with other members of the spine care team and with the patient’s referring physician.

University Spine Specialists also offers the latest surgical treatment options and therapies available.

Using new, minimally invasive techniques, surgeons can treat herniated and degenerative discs with smaller incisions, which results in a quicker recovery and shorter hospital stays for the patient.

Discs act as spacers between the vertebrae, and as they degenerate, the vertebrae come closer together, pinching the nerves of the spine. By replacing portions of the painful disc and vertebral bone with a small threaded metal cylinder implant, surgeons can restore the disc space to or near its original height, relieving pressure on the nerves. A small amount of bone from the hip packed inside the implant allows bone to grow through it, fusing the vertebrae and stopping pain.

MUSC spine surgeons are currently working with Clemson’s Bioengineering Department to develop a new generation of spinal implants that could also be used to replace damaged discs. Patients with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries who suffer from spasticity—rigid, stiff muscles, can benefit from a new implantable pump placed under the skin of the abdomen that delivers medicine through a catheter directly to the spinal cord. The implantable pump significantly reduces spasticity in the upper and lower extremities, making movement and self-care easier for patients. University Spine Specialists will soon become a member of the National Spine Network, a group of 20 university spine centers dedicated to setting the standards of spine care and improving patient outcomes. “Through the network, our patients can benefit from treatments and techniques from not only MUSC’s Spine Center, but other leading spine centers from across the nation,” Cuddy said.