Ortho or Neuro

[JulieBW]

My doctor referred me last year to a neurosurgeon for problems related to my fusion with Harrington rod. I have the impression that primarily orthopedics do this type of surgery. I have an appointment to see an ortho experienced with this, but I am just curious to know if he was off base. Do many people out there have rods which were done by neurosurgeons? :confused:

[Nutty]

Both an orthopedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon may have been extensively
trained in and be qualified to perform most types of spine surgery.

While an orthopedic surgeon is likely to have done fellowship training in orthopedic spine surgery and a neurosurgeon in neurosurgical spine surgery, most of the residency training is similar for both specialties.

For the most part, the qualifications of the surgeon to do spine surgery
are more driven by the amount of training in spine surgery and the amount of the surgeon's practice devoted to spine surgery (for example, vs. brain surgery for neurosurgeons, or vs. hip surgery for orthopedic surgeons), rather than by whether or not the surgeon is a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon.

[JulieBW]

You described my general, less-specific impression but I've never heard anyone mention having had rod surgery done by a neuro. Maybe I have a mis-impression regarding the background of MD's mentioned here, but I believe they are orthos.

[Nutty]

Hola

The following article on SpineUniverse may help answer your question properly :)

http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article2471.html

Hope it helps

[JulieBW]

Yes, thank-you. Here's the answer I suspected, from that source:

"both pediatric and adult scoliosis and other spinal deformities are still primarily treated surgically by orthopedic spine specialists. "

Plus the fact that nearly 200 people have viewed this post, and no one has replied that their scoliosis fusion was done by a neurosurgeon.