Spine Surgery Review
Explore how the symptoms you report relate to what the proposed spine surgery is intended to address.
Spine procedure guide
The review considers the procedure and spinal level named in your records alongside the pain pattern, function, prior care, and written imaging report you provide.
It may also identify muscles, tendons, nerve-pain mimics, or movement patterns that deserve focused in-person evaluation when the available information supports them.
A stabilization procedure intended to join one or more spinal levels.
View this review →Laminectomy, laminotomy, or foraminotomy intended to create more room around a nerve structure.
View this review →Discectomy or microdiscectomy intended to remove part of a disc affecting a nerve structure.
View this review →Fusion, decompression, discectomy, or disc replacement in the neck.
View this review →Research in context
Each percentage describes a specific study population. Open the study details to see who was studied, what was measured, and how the result should be read.
had at least one lumbar disc abnormality despite reporting no back pain
Population: 98 adults without back pain who received lumbar MRI.
Finding in context: Only 36% had normal discs at every level. An imaging finding still has to be compared with symptoms and function.
Jensen et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 1994 →still met a recovery threshold one year after a manual-therapy, exercise, and walking program
Population: 58 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis in a randomized trial of two physical-therapy programs.
Finding in context: The 62% result applied to the program that combined manual physical therapy, exercise, and progressive walking.
Whitman et al., Spine, 2006 →were in full remission or markedly improved with outpatient conservative care
Population: 83 patients with objective cervical radiculopathy deficits and no myelopathy.
Finding in context: 73 of 83 were in full remission or markedly improved. No participant required surgery or hospitalization during the reported follow-up.
Swezey, Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 1999 →These findings provide context for a healthcare conversation. They do not predict an individual result or determine whether a procedure is appropriate.
Your surgical recommendation or consent paperwork may use several terms. The screening includes an “I am not sure” option so you do not need to identify the procedure perfectly before starting.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes discectomy, laminectomy, and fusion as distinct spine procedure families.
View source →Your next step
The private screening uses your surgical history and current situation to show a preliminary Focused or Complex Review result.
Start the Spine ScreeningNew or rapidly worsening weakness, bowel or bladder changes, or saddle-area numbness require timely in-person medical evaluation.