What is the difference between an orthopedic spine surgeon and a neurologic spine surgeon?
Most surgeons performing advanced spine surgery today received additional training in spine after completing their residency programs after medical school. Historically, the first disc operation was performed jointly by an orthopedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon. For some time in the middle part of the last century, most bone work regarding decompression and instrumentation for fusion was performed by the orthopedic surgeon, and final decompression or manipulation of the nerves was performed by the neurosurgeon. Rarely today do both orthopedic spinal surgeons and neurosurgeons work on the same case. Both orthopedic spinal surgeons and neurosurgeons have expert training in bone and nerve root decompression as well as placement of metal hardware implants. At Emory, we have neurosurgical spine surgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons who can handle any spine problem. Our neurosurgical staff take on the bulk cases involving spinal cord tumors within the dura, while both orthopedic spinal surge
