Outpatient Spinal Surgery

There's no end in sight to the increasing demand for minimally invasive spinal treatment. Surgeons love the advancing techniques and improved instrumentation with which they can address a widening range of indications. Informed patients actively seek the benefits of reduced scarring and a faster return to work. Health maintenance organizations favor ambulatory surgery for its cost-containment advantage.

Outpatient Spinal Surgery is an illustrated reference to the operative techniques of surgery, from the cervical to the lumbar spine, that can be performed on an ambulatory basis. It is also a detailed guide to the bottom-line business aspects of establishing, managing, and marketing a successful outpatient spinal center that consistently delivers quality outcomes.

Operative techniques, many described by the leading experts who perfected them, are presented with straightforward instructions to facilitate rapid learning. Each is accompanied by detailed illustrations and a step-by-step diagram. The authors note anomalies which may be encountered and how they are best managed, and comment on surgical equipment and instrumentation.

The logistics and economics of establishing an ambulatory clinic are examined as well. Design and staffing, record keeping and outcomes analysis, relationships with insurers, regulatory and licensing considerations, competitive pricing and advertising...the business side is covered extensively.

Outpatient Spinal Surgery is an essential single-volume reference that provides both the surgical skills and the business essentials required for a thriving ambulatory spine center.

Mick J. Perez-Cruet, MD, MSc
Clinical Instructor, Department of Neurosurgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, and Fellow, Institute for Spine Care, Chicago Institute for Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch, Chicago, Illinois, USA; formerly Vice Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, and Director of Spinal Research, Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD
Director of Institute for Spine Care, Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch; Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA