| Review: |
Spine disorders are very common, cause considerable morbidity, and have a great economic impact. Here, the authors, a neurologist and a neurosurgeon, take a multidisciplinary approach to the management of spine pain and limb pain. They aim to teach the non-surgeon when spinal surgery should be considered, what surgical interventions can be offered, and the risks and benefits that are involved. They describe the anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the spine. They describe how to evaluate clinically and with laboratory and imaging study the patient who has disease that affects the cervical, thoracic and lumbar levels of the spine. And they describe the available medical and surgical treatment options for patients with a variety of spinal disorders. |