Spine care

Spine care in Canyon County

If you have back or neck problems, you’re far from alone. Our experienced spine specialists provide in-depth education and develop individualized treatment plans based on your input, pace and direction.

For more information about our spine care services contact us at (208) 455-3981.

Spine Ethos Program in Caldwell, Idaho

Our Spine Ethos program is designed to make sure our patients are fully prepared and feel more at ease throughout their total joint or spine surgical journeys.

Our program is unique and includes Enhanced Surgical Recovery (ESR) and addresses the individual needs of each patient versus traditional medical clearance before surgery.

The one-stop-shop VIP experience incorporates surgical clearance, joint class, case management, registration and an introduction to rehabilitative services into a two- to three-hour block, ensuring our patients are educated, informed and optimized prior to surgery.

Our West Valley Orthopedic and Spine Care Team works closely with you every step of the way, and we encourage your active involvement in the whole process!

Spine conditions we treat

Most patients choose to proceed with spine surgery when their pain or weakness becomes disabling, interferes with daily activities and after conservative therapies have failed.

Common back conditions include:

• Degenerative disc disease: This is an age-related condition that damages the discs between the vertebrae, causing a loss in cushioning due to wear and deterioration.
• Disc herniation: This condition is also referred to as a “slipped disc,” which occurs when the inner core of a disc leaks out through the outer portion of the disc causing pinched nerves and pain.
• Osteoporotic fracture: This condition occurs when there is thinning and weakening of the bone caused by osteoporosis, which can lead to fractures.
• Spinal stenosis: This is a condition occurring when the spinal cord and nerves within the spine become compressed, often related to age and natural wear and tear.
• Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis: This is a common condition caused by age, excessive weight or intense physical activity. This results in low back pain due to a fracture in one of the vertebrae (spondylolysis) and sometimes may weaken the bone so much that the vertebra shifts or slips out of place (spondylolisthesis).
• Spinal osteoarthritis: This is a degenerative joint condition where the cartilage of the joints and discs in the neck and back break down.
• Spinal deformities: This condition occurs when there is an abnormal curvature of the spine that puts you out of alignment, causing pain and balance issues. Conditions can be present at birth, related to aging or other disease processes. Examples include scoliosis, sagittal deformity, lordosis and flatback syndrome.
• Spinal cord and nerve compression: Many spinal conditions and age can put pressure on your spinal cord. This can occur anywhere from your neck to lower back, causing pain, stiffness, numbness and weakness in your limbs, foot drop and more.

Spine surgeries

Spinal surgeries we perform include:

• Corpectomy: This is a removal of all or part of the damaged vertebral body and discs to free up nerves and the spinal cord.
• Discectomy: This is a removal of partial or full disc material between your vertebrae. It may be done from the back or through the abdomen.
• Foraminotomy: This is a removal of bone from openings in the spine (foramen), relieving pressure on the nerves.
• Fusion: This is a procedure where your surgeon may use rods, screws, cages, plates and spacers to facilitate a fusion. Bone or bone graft substitutes may be used to stabilize and eliminate motion in designated vertebral segments of the spine. This may be accomplished by accessing the spine through your abdomen, back/neck or both.
• Laminectomy/Laminotomy: This is a removal of bone from your spine to access a disc or free up your spinal cord and nerves.
• Laminoplasty: This is a procedure where a hinge is made in the bone to open up space in the back of the neck to free up the spinal cord and nerves.
• Vertebroplasty: This is an injection of liquid bone cement into fractured vertebrae for stabilization and reduction of pain.

Robotic surgery

Our spine surgeons use specialized robotic technology to perform spinal procedures. The technology creates a 3D image of the spine to help increase the precision of the procedure while also reducing the trauma to the body that is typically seen with surgery.