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Marshall Health

Q & A: Orthopaedic Spine Care

 

Innovative approaches in orthopaedic spine care are helping people regain strength, mobility, and quality of life. From minimally invasive procedures to advanced surgical interventions, orthopaedic spine care addresses conditions like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, scoliosis and more.

In this article, orthopaedic spine specialist Dr. Jeffery Kim explores the latest in spine care treatments, what patients can expect and the referral process.

  1. What are the most common orthopaedic spine conditions you treat? What symptoms should primary care physicians look for when considering a referral?

I treat all conditions affecting the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. This includes degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis.  Common conditions include radiculopathy, neurogenic claudication, and myelopathy.  Patients who suffer from pain radiating into an extremity or have complaints of leg weakness, progressive balance and/or dexterity issues would benefit from a spine consultation.

  1. What non-surgical treatment options do you typically recommend for patients with chronic back pain, and how effective are they? When is surgery the best option?

Conservative treatment options include physical therapy, oral medications and comprehensive treatment from a pain management physician.  Surgical treatment should be considered when pain symptoms affect and interfere with one’s quality of life.

  1. How do you determine whether a patient is a good candidate for spine surgery? What factors influence this decision?

Surgical candidacy is multifactorial.  Treatment is individualized to each patient’s condition. General health and comorbidities must be taken into account. The benefits of surgery must outweigh the risk.  Additionally, imaging of the spine should support the clinical picture. Only when there is clear evidence of nerve compression or spinal stenosis, should surgery be considered after exhausting nonoperative treatment.

  1. What advancements in spine care technology or techniques are you most excited about, and how do they improve patient outcomes?

Spine surgery is an evolving field.  Image guided and robotic assisted surgery, available at Cabell Huntington Hospital, ensures accuracy and precision of hardware placement, decreases time under anesthesia, minimizes pain and decreases recovery time.

  1. What is the typical recovery process for patients after spine surgery, and how do you coordinate follow-up care with referring physicians?

The average acute recovery phase occurs 6 to 12 weeks following surgery.  Patients have routine follow-ups with me and my team after surgery. Patients are encouraged to continue routine follow-ups with their primary care physicians and any specialists.  Office notes and surgical records can be sent to referring offices upon request.

  1. How can referring physicians best collaborate with you to ensure their patients receive timely and effective orthopaedic spine care?

Referrals may be faxed to Marshall Orthopaedics at 304.691.1666. Attaching “Dr. Jeffery Kim” to the referral can expedite the process. For specific questions regarding referrals, providers may call my office at 304.691.1262.


Dr. Jeffery Kim is a fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopaedic spine surgeon at Marshall Health and serves as an assistant professor and vice chair of external affairs for the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.