Choosing the right surgeon for your spine.

When choosing a spine surgeon, there are many points to consider. The question is often raised, “Does it matter if my spine surgeon is an Orthopedist or a Neurosurgeon? A breakdown of training is as follows. As always, the most important factor in considering surgery is a trusting relationship between you and your doctor.

Training:	Neurosurgeon	Orthopedist
Overall	6-7 Years	5 Years
Fellowship Training:	1 Year	1 Year
Formal Neurology	Yes	No
Formal Neuroradiology	Yes	No
Majority of training focused on Spine Surgery	6-7 Years	1 Year

Conditions Treated	Neurosurgeon	Orthopedist
Spinal Cord (1)	Yes	No
Head-Neck junction disorders	Yes	No
Spinal Nerve Tumor	Yes	No
Scoliosis	No	Yes
Peripheral Nerve	Yes	Yes

(1) Inside the covering of the spinal canal, including spinal cord tumors, fluid cysts, cysts within the spinal cord, chiari malformation, blood vessel disorders, splitting of the spinal cord, tethered spinal cord, fatty tumor of spinal cord, nerve root tumors.

Surgical Procedures	Neurosurgeon	Orthopedist
Cervical fusion	Yes	Yes
Microscopic Posterior Cervical Disc	Yes	No
Artificial Cervical Disc	Yes	Yes
Lumbar Discectomy	Yes	Yes
Micro-Endoscopic Tube approach	Yes	No
Lumbar Fusion	Yes	Yes
Artifical Lumbar Disc	Yes	Yes
Kyphoplasty	Yes	Yes
Carpal Tunnel	Yes	Yes

The Neurosurgical Group of Chattanooga is uniquely qualified to provide comprehensive care of spinal disorders. As Neurosurgeons, formal training in neuro-radiology, neurology, and study of the actual neural structures allows a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and the broadest scope of spinal treatment options. The surgeons and staff at the Neurosurgical Group of Chattanooga are all highly trained and experienced in the diagnosis and management of spinal disorders. You will be taken excellent care of during your treatment.