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Neurosurgery, Inc.
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| Q: |
What kind of education and training
does a neurosurgeon have? |
| A: |
A neurosurgeon has undergone
many years of education and training. First, one must
obtain a bachelor's degree which usually requires four
year of college. Next comes four years of medical school.
Then comes an internship in general surgery, which usually
lasts one year. This is followed by a number of years
of residency, which is essentially an apprenticeship in
which the training neurosurgeon works with and scrubs
beside an experienced surgeon, learning the skills of
the trade. This specialized apprenticeship generally takes
from five to seven years. After this is completed, the
surgeon may open up a practice, or may choose to continue
training in a subspecialty of neurosurgery, during what
is known as a fellowship. This may take an additional
one or more years. After this, the surgeon will typically
begin the practice of neurosurgery. |
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| Q: |
My neurosurgeon scheduled my operation
for the afternoon. Will he/she be too tired to do my surgery?
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| A: |
The training
in neurosurgery is very rigorous. In addition to the numerous
years of training which are required, the hours worked
during residency are often great, and the level of intensity
of decision making is high. Those that successfully finish
the training are a dedicated group of highly trained individuals
who have tremendous amounts of stamina. For many surgeons,
they are just getting warmed up for surgery by the time
afternoon rolls around. In addition, surgeons know their
limits, and would rather cancel a case than perform one
when they are not in top condition. |
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| Q: |
I have had an MRI
scan, but my surgeon wants another. Why? |
| A: |
Just as you need a roadmap to plot
your course when driving to a different city, a neurosurgeon
needs an accurate picture of the anatomy of your body
in order to see what must be done at surgery. Sometimes
MRI scans are of poor quality. This can occur for a number
of different reasons. You may have moved during the scan,
your size may have been too great for the strength of
the MRI magnet, you may have metal implanted in your body
in the region of the scan, or the MRI machine may have
been of a poor quality. What ever the reason, your surgeon
has decided that in order for him/her to do the best job
possible, another more detailed scan must be obtained.
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| Q: |
My MRI report says that I have
two bulging discs in the lumbar spine, but my surgeon
does not want to operate. Why? |
| A: |
The decision to operate is based on
your history, physical exam, x rays, MRI scans, and lab
tests. Your neurosurgeon will assimilate all the factual
information, process it based on his/her experience, and
formulate an opinion as to whether surgery may help you
at that point. Many patients have bulging discs, even
those without any pain, so the decision as to how to treat
must be based upon more than an imaginig study alone.
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| Q: |
Should
I get a second opinion? |
| A: |
An occasional
insurance company requires a second opinion when it comes
to surgery, but most don't. If your surgeon has any level
of discomfort regarding your case, he/she will request
a second opinion. And if you would like to get other opinions,
your surgeon will be unlikely to have any objections.
But it is best to be upfront and honest, and let your
surgeon know you are obtaining another opinion
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| Q: |
I
already had a CT scan of my back. Why do I need an MRI
scan? |
| A: |
An MRI scan is excellent
at showing soft tissue such as spinal cord, nerve roots
and herniated discs. A CT scan shows bone detail and some
soft tissue. When looking for herniated discs or tumors,
an MRI image will usually reveal much more detail. |
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| Q: |
What is the difference
between a neurosurgeon and a neurologist? |
| A: |
A neurosurgeon treats
patients who may potentially benefit by surgery. This
would include patients with disc disease and narrowing
of the cervical, lumbar and thoracic spines, tumors of
the brain and spine, aneurysms in the brain, head and
spine injuries, peripheral nerve problems such as carpal
tunnel and ulnar nerve injuries, and surgically treatable
forms of epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. On the other
hand, a neurologist is involved with stroke, seizuere
disorders, metabolic disorders, and other non-surgical
disturbances of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral
nerves. |
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