Spine surgery · Mississauga
Spine surgery for the neck and back
Assessment and surgical treatment of conditions of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Most patients we see do not need an operation. When surgery is the right choice, we explain why, what it involves and what recovery looks like.
Our approach
Neck and back pain is common, and most episodes settle with time, activity and non-surgical treatment. Surgery is most helpful when a specific structural problem, such as a compressed nerve or spinal cord, explains the symptoms and the symptoms have not improved. It is also recommended when nerve or spinal cord function is at risk.
When surgery isn’t needed, we send your referring clinician a clear plan for non-surgical care. Consultations and follow-up take place at our clinic, and surgery is performed at Mississauga Hospital.
Conditions and surgical options
Most conditions can be treated with more than one operation. The choice depends on the levels involved, spinal alignment, stability, your symptoms and your overall health.
Lumbar spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the spinal canal that causes leg pain, heaviness or numbness with walking or standing (neurogenic claudication). Options: decompression (laminectomy or laminotomy), with fusion if the spine is unstable.
Lumbar disc herniation
Disc material pressing on a nerve root, usually causing sciatica. Many cases improve within weeks. Options: microdiscectomy when pain persists or weakness develops.
Cervical radiculopathy
A compressed nerve root in the neck, causing arm pain, numbness or weakness. Options: anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or posterior foraminotomy.
Degenerative cervical myelopathy
Compression of the spinal cord in the neck, causing hand clumsiness, imbalance or difficulty walking. Options: ACDF, corpectomy, laminoplasty, or laminectomy and fusion.
Spondylolisthesis
Slippage of one vertebra relative to the next, which can narrow the space for nerves. Options: decompression, with or without fusion.
Spinal fractures
Traumatic and osteoporotic fractures. Options: observation, bracing, or surgical stabilization when the fracture is unstable or the nerves are compressed.
Spinal tumours
Tumours of the spinal cord, nerves or vertebrae. Options: resection, or decompression and stabilization. See neuro-oncology.
Thoracic disc herniation
Less common than in the neck or low back, and sometimes a cause of spinal cord compression. Options: decompression through an approach chosen for the disc’s location.
Non-surgical care
Physiotherapy, medication and image-guided injections help many patients and are often tried first. We coordinate this with your family physician or nurse practitioner.
When to go to the emergency department
Go to the nearest emergency department if you develop new difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels, numbness in the groin or buttocks, or weakness in your arms or legs that is getting worse quickly.
Patients with arm- or leg-dominant symptoms and a stable deficit, or pain that has not responded to medical and interventional treatment, may be eligible for the Rapid Access Neurosurgery Clinic.
Referral requirements
A brief referral with relevant imaging is enough. An MRI of the affected region is preferred where possible. A CT is needed for suspected fractures.