Joint and spinal surgeries differ from other surgeries as patients aren’t necessarily sick, but rather seek to improve their quality of life. Our goal is to help them navigate their surgical experience and to get them on their road to recovery as quickly as possible. We call it a Journey to Wellness.
Common joint procedures performed at St. Mary’s include:
Partial knee replacements
Total knee replacements
Total shoulder replacements
Total elbow replacements
These types of surgeries are designed to remove rough, arthritic bone and replace them with artificial components made of metal, ceramic and/or plastic. This relieves pain and allows for improved activity and quality of life.
In spinal procedures the goal is to stabilize the spine, reducing pressure on nerves and/or pain from arthritis decreasing pain and, like joint replacements improve the patient’s level of activity and quality of life.
The most common spinal procedures done at St. Mary’s include:
Fusions - A lumbar spine fusion is a type of back surgery designed to treat low back pain from degenerative disc disease. It is called a “fusion” because the surgery involves placing bone matter either in the disc space in front of the spine or along the back of the spine so that the bone grows together and fuses that section of the spine. The fusion is designed to eliminate motion in fused segments of the spine, decreasing or eliminating the back pain created by motion.
X-STOP procedures -The X-STOP spacer is a small implant that fits between two bones in the back of your spine—at the level of the pinched nerve and lifts the vertebra off the pinched nerve.
Laminectomy surgeries - Laminectomy is surgery to remove the lamina, two small bones that make up a vertebra, or bone spurs in your back. The procedure can take pressure off your spinal nerves or spinal column.In the most minimal form small skin incisions are made, back muscles are pushed aside rather than cut, and the parts of the vertebra adjacent to the lamina are left intact.
We also teach monthly seminars on hip and knee pain. These seminars are great for patients who know they’re having joint pain but aren’t sure what to do about it or for patients who know they need a joint replacement but would like more information prior to scheduling with a surgeon.
To learn more about St. Mary’s Joint and Spine Institute,
call 816-655-5555.