Patient Education Videos

This is an abnormal connection between blood vessels. It happens when arteries connect directly to veins without first sending blood through tiny capillaries. An AVM can look like a tangle of blood vessels. They form anywhere in your body, but most often they form in or around the brain and along the spinal cord.

This condition is a bulge that forms in the wall of a weakened artery in the brain. This bulge can leak or rupture, causing a stroke. An aneurysm can be life-threatening.

This is a structural problem with the back of the brain. It involves the cerebellum. That’s the part of your brain that controls balance. Normally, the cerebellum sits in a space at the base of the skull. It’s just above the opening to the spinal canal, called the “foramen magnum.” With Chiari malformation, the cerebellum slips down through this opening.

This condition is a buildup of clotted blood between the brain’s outer layer and the membrane that covers the brain (called the dura). It usually occurs in the elderly, and can be caused by even a minor bump to the head.

This condition is caused by an increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid (commonly called CSF) in the brain’s ventricles. The ventricles are a system of large, fluid-filled open spaces inside the brain. Too much CSF in the ventricles can elevate pressure in the skull. It can damage delicate brain tissue.

This is a problem that affects your spinal cord. It happens when something presses harmfully against it. Your spinal cord is the main nerve pathway between your brain and your body. Pressure on it can cause problems throughout your body.

This condition, which usually occurs in adults 55 and older, is an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. The ventricles are a system of large, fluid-filled open spaces inside the brain. Too much CSF in the ventricles can distort the brain’s shape. It can make the brain susceptible to injury.

Your pituitary gland is found just under your brain. This pea-sized gland makes hormones that affect many of your body’s functions. A pituitary tumor can cause it to release too much or too little of these hormones. This can cause serious problems.

This condition, sometimes called a false brain tumor, is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the skull. It most commonly affects obese women ages 20 to 50. The reason it develops is unknown.

When blood flow to a part of your brain is stopped, you can have a stroke. Without oxygen and nutrients from the blood, brain cells die quickly. A stroke can damage your brain. It can even kill you.

This is a buildup of clotted blood beneath the dura. That’s a membrane that covers your brain. The blood can press harmfully against your brain.

This is an injury that damages your brain. It results in brain dysfunction. It can severely impact your life.

This chronic condition is caused by a misfiring of the trigeminal nerve. An attack causes brief episodes of extreme, shooting pain.

This is a way to get a sample of your cerebrospinal fluid (which we call “CSF”). That’s the fluid that flows around your brain, spinal cord and spinal nerves. Testing this fluid will show signs of bleeding, infection or other problems.

This scan lets doctors see inside your body without using radiation. Instead, MRIs use magnets and radio waves. An MRI shows clear views of your soft tissues. It can show cancer and other problems.

This surgical procedure is performed to treat an aneurysm, a bulge in the wall of an artery, inside the skull. Aneurysms can often become so large that they rupture or leak. In this procedure, a small, metal clip is applied to the base of the aneurysm to prevent blood leakage.

This procedure creates one or more holes in the skull to release excess fluid pressure in the brain caused by a chronic subdural hematoma (blood clot on the brain). It can be performed under local anesthesia.

This minimally-invasive procedure is used to treat an aneurysm (a bulge in the wall of an artery) inside the skull. Aneurysms can often become so large that they rupture or leak. In this procedure, a small, soft metal coil is placed inside the aneurysm to help block the flow of blood and prevent rupture.

This surgery is used to treat Chiari malformation, an abnormality that results in a part of the brain extending into the upper spinal canal. During the procedure, small sections of bone are removed from the rear of the skull and spine to create more space for the errant brain tissue.

This reconstructive surgical procedure is performed to correct congenital problems of the skull, or to repair the skull after a traumatic injury or medical procedure. During the procedure, a custom plate made from porous plastic or titanium is fitted over the defect in the skull, restoring the skull to its normal shape.

This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for removal of a blood clot on the surface of the brain. Subdural hematomas commonly result from trauma to the head, and can place harmful pressure on the brain.

This procedure, performed under general anesthesia, creates an opening through the skull for brain tumor removal. The surgery usually requires between two to five hours to complete. The length of surgery depends on the type and size of the tumor.

This minimally-invasive procedure is used to treat a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a tangle of enlarged vessels that can potentially hemorrhage and cause a devastating stroke. In this procedure, fast-drying glue or a small, soft metal coil is placed inside the AVM to help block the flow of blood and prevent hemorrhage.

During this procedure, the surgeon places a small dome-shaped reservoir beneath the scalp and connects it to a fluid-filled cavity in the brain. Once in position, the ommaya reservoir can be used to administer medications or to withdraw fluid.

This surgery treats one or more tumors on or near your pituitary gland. That’s a small organ at the base of your brain. Your surgeon will reach the pituitary gland through your nostrils.

In this procedure, performed under general anesthesia, the surgeon opens the skull to remove an abnormal tangle of enlarged blood vessels called a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (or AVM). This procedure is generally used for small AVMs that are located on or near the surface of the brain.

This is a way for a surgeon to take a sample of abnormal tissue from inside your brain. It’s done with a needle that’s carefully guided into your brain.

During this surgical procedure, a small drainage tube is implanted to relieve the pressure of hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a condition that develops when excess cerebrospinal fluid builds up within the ventricles of the brain.

Pain, numbness and tingling in your hand may be from carpal tunnel syndrome. It happens when the area around the main nerve to your hand is too tight. The nerve is called the median nerve. And the small space in your wrist where it passes is called the carpal tunnel.

This noninvasive, outpatient exam is used to measure how quickly nerves conduct electrical signals through the body. NCS is a valuable technique for diagnosing nerve damage. If damage exists, NCS can help a physician find its source.

This surgical procedure treats the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome. It relieves pressure on a nerve that travels through your wrist. This nerve is called the “median” nerve.

This surgery relieves pressure on the ulnar nerve at the elbow. It moves the nerve to keep it from being compressed by the medial epicondyle (a bony bump on the inner side of your elbow).

This condition is an irritation or compression of one or more nerve roots in the cervical spine. Because these nerves travel to the shoulders, arms and hands, an injury in the cervical spine can cause symptoms in these areas. Cervical radiculopathy may result from a variety of problems with the bones and tissues of the cervical spinal column.

This is a collapse of vertebral bone. It can affect one or more vertebrae. Compression fractures typically develop in your mid or lower back. This can change the shape of your spine.

This condition is a rupture of one of the vertebral discs in your neck. A herniated disc can allow disc material to press harmfully against the spinal nerves.

A herniated disc is a common injury that can affect any part of the spine. A herniated disc can cause severe pain and other problems in the arms or legs.

This condition is an irritation or compression of one or more nerve roots in the lumbar spine. Because these nerves travel to the hips, buttocks, legs and feet, an injury in the lumbar spine can cause symptoms in these areas. Sciatica may result from a variety of problems with the bones and tissues of the lumbar spinal column.

This is a problem that affects your spinal cord. It happens when something presses harmfully against it. Your spinal cord is the main nerve pathway between your brain and your body. Pressure on it can cause problems throughout your body.

The spinal column contains open spaces that create passageways for the spinal cord and the spinal nerves. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of (or an intrusion into) these openings. This can cause a compression of the nerves. Spinal stenosis most commonly affects the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine.

This problem affects the spinal nerves in your neck. It’s a narrowing of the spinal canal. That’s the space your spinal nerves travel through. In a healthy spine, the spinal canal protects these nerves. It keeps them free from injury. But with spinal stenosis, the spinal canal is too narrow, and your nerves get compressed.

This condition affects the thoracic spine between the neck and the lower back. It is a narrowing of the spinal canal that results from degeneration of bones in the spine, disc herniation, or thickening of the tissues that surround the spinal cord.

This condition occurs when a lumbar vertebra slips out of place. It slides forward, distorting the shape of your spine. This may compress the nerves in the spinal canal. The nerves that exit the foramen (open spaces on the sides of your vertebrae) may also be compressed. These compressed nerves can cause pain and other problems.

This condition is a degeneration of the spine that can affect the spine at any level, resulting in pain and discomfort that can grow worse over time.

Lower back pain is a common problem that severely impacts the quality of your life. It can limit your ability to be active. It can cause you to miss work. Many different causes may lead to pain in your lower back.

Neck pain is a common problem that severely impacts the quality of your life. It can limit your ability to be active. It can cause you to miss work. Many different causes may lead to pain in your neck.

This injection relieves pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms caused by a pinched nerve (or nerves) in the cervical spine. Conditions such as herniated discs and spinal stenosis can compress nerves, causing inflammation and pain. The medication injected helps decrease the swelling of nerves.

This injection relieves pain in the neck, shoulders, and arms caused by a pinched nerve (or nerves) in the cervical spine. It can be used to treat conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and radiculopathy.

The facet joints, found on both sides of the back of the spine, can become painfully irritated or inflamed. A facet joint injection may help diagnose the source of a patient’s pain. It can also relieve pain and inflammation.

This injection procedure is performed to relieve low back and radiating leg pain. Steroid medication can reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by spinal conditions.

This outpatient procedure is an injection of a steroid-anesthetic medication. The medication can reduce swelling and inflammation of irritated spinal nerves. This procedure is performed to relieve pain in the lower back and pain that radiates from the back to the legs. The injection takes only a few minutes to complete.

If you’re dealing with neck pain, you know how frustrating it can be. Fortunately, you can try these simple strategies for managing neck pain.

ALIF is generally used to treat back or leg pain caused by degenerative disc disease. The surgeon will stabilize the spine by fusing vertebrae together with bone graft material.

This surgery relieves pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves. It involves the removal of bone and discs from your cervical spine, followed by a fusion.

This surgery removes a herniated or degenerative vertebral disc in your neck and replaces it with a bone graft. This can relieve painful pressure on spinal nerves.

This surgery creates more space for a compressed spinal nerve in your neck. The procedure relieves painful pressure caused by a herniated or degenerative disc.

This minimally-invasive procedure repairs a vertebral compression fracture. It helps restore the spine’s natural shape. Some patients experience rapid pain relief after the procedure.

This procedure relieves pressure on the nerve roots in the spine. It is most commonly performed to relieve the pain of stenosis. This is a narrowing of the spinal canal that is often caused by the formation of bony growths that can press against the nerve roots. The surgeon may treat one or more vertebrae.

This minimally-invasive procedure relieves pressure on nerve roots caused by a herniated disc. It can eliminate the pain of sciatica.

This minimally invasive procedure is used to remove a degenerated disc to relieve the compression of nerve roots in the lumbar spine. It is performed through a small incision on the back.

This surgical procedure aligns and stabilizes the cervical spine to correct instability at the junction of the spine and skull, which can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, spinal tumors, and spinal trauma.

This procedure fuses two of your vertebrae with implants and bone graft material. It stabilizes your spine. It can be used to treat pain caused by degenerative disc disease.

TLIF is generally used to treat back or leg pain caused by degenerative disc disease. The surgeon will stabilize the spine by fusing vertebrae together with bone graft material.

The spinal column is the body’s main support structure. Its thirty-three bones, called vertebrae, are divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal.

This condition is a deformity of the spine. With it, your vertebrae change from a cylindrical shape to a wedge shape. Your spine may begin to curve forward. Eventually, this gives your upper back a rounded appearance.

This scan lets doctors see inside your body by taking x-ray images from many angles. These are combined to show clear cross-section slices of parts of your body. A CT scan shows much more than a typical x-ray. It can show cancer and other problems.

This is a test of your muscles and nerves. It usually has two parts. One is a nerve conduction study. This measures how well electricity moves through your nerves. The second part is a needle electromyogram. It records the electrical signals your muscles make when you move them. The results can help your doctor find problems linked to certain disorders or conditions.

These injections help your doctor find or treat pain in the facet joints of your neck. Facet joints are found on both sides of your spine. Your vertebrae connect at these joints.

Most of us know the frustration of back pain. It’s something almost everyone has to deal with at some point in life. Back pain can last for a few days or weeks. For some, it becomes a chronic problem. The good news is, there are some things you can do to keep back pain away. These tips can help.

This injection procedure is performed to relieve pain caused by arthritis in the sacroiliac joint where the spine and hip bone meet. The steroid medication can reduce swelling and inflammation in the joint.