If you have been experiencing significant discomfort due to a disabling condition such as chronic back pain, crippling arthritis, or even severe headaches, you may need to seek the care of a laser surgeon. Here is some information you need to know.

A laser surgeon is a medical doctor who has received specialized training in the field of neurosurgery in addition to the usual four years of medical school; he mainly provides surgical treatment of disorders involving the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system, including the peripheral nerves. With the advent of minimally invasive surgical techniques, microscopic instruments, robotic assistive devices, and lasers, the field of neurosurgery has significantly improved the quality of life of many patients. Consider what one may be able to do for you.

Approximately 20% of neurosurgeons in America have incorporated the use of lasers into their surgeries, although they were initially reluctant to do so, fearing a poor outcome. As the technology has improved, however, the practice is much more commonly utilized to treat benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spinal cord. For example, if you are diagnosed with a benign tumor, a laser surgeon could break up as much of the neoplasm as possible and then it would be evaporated. If your tumor were found to be malignant, the laser would be used to remove the mass because it is able to control bleeding. This in turn reduces the chance for damage to your surrounding tissues or vital structures as well as helping to remove as much of the tumor as possible.

The CO laser is the choice of most neurosurgeons for soft tissue procedures because of its precision as well as its affordability. Using a highly focused beam of light to vaporize the soft tissue, it gently dissolves arthritic tissue around joints, reducing unnecessary trauma. In addition to making clean incisions, it can be used to cauterize any bleeding that occurs during surgery, thereby leading to less postoperative swelling from decreased blood flow. Since it also effectively destroys any bacteria, fungi, or viruses that are present, the risk of surgical infection has been greatly reduced. In addition, post surgical pain can be significantly lessened when it is employed to seal nerve endings.

A neurosurgeon has a variety of other surgical procedures that he can use to treat you. For instance, microsurgery has been successfully used to clip aneurysms or to perform complicated back surgery. Minimally invasive procedures have also become quite common, in which case a tiny incision is made and then miniature scopes and instruments are used to treat tumors of the pituitary gland or soft tissues of the head or repair cerebrospinal fluid leaks. Stereotactic radiosurgery is a noninvasive method that can be used to destroy lesions in the brain or body, especially those considered inoperable, as well as to treat dangerous vascular conditions such as arteriovenous malformations. Another instrument that has been recently developed is the gamma knife that can be used to target a tumor and then apply gamma radiation to kill the cancer cells and shrink the mass.

If you are experiencing chronic spine pain or a neurovascular problem, you may be able to get relief from your suffering with the help of a specially trained laser surgeon. It is certainly worth it for you to contact one in your area to see what he can do for you.

Article Tags: Laser Surgeon