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TUCSON’S FIRST Orthopaedic SPINE CENTER OPENS August 2003 |
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Tucson Orthopaedic’s new Spine Center, located at the Institute’s eastside 2424 N. Wyatt Drive location, is the first to provide primary care physicians and their patients in southern Arizona and northern Mexico with a multi-specialty, fellowship-trained team that can comprehensively address serious, painful neck and back conditions. The state-of-the-art clinic dedicated solely to Orthopaedic spine management has a staff of three fellowship-trained spine surgeons and two non-surgical spine specialists who are board certified in physiatry and preventive/occupational medicine. Dr. Stephen L. Curtin, M.D., the Spine Center’s senior surgeon, says the goal is to give patients timely as well as appropriate care. “We can meet spinal care needs expertly, efficiently and appropriately with state-of-the-art medicine and the latest surgical techniques. There is no other Spine Center like this in Southern Arizona.” The surgeons at the center focus on spine surgery for adults, including trauma, degenerative disease, and tumors, and on children with scoliosis and spinal deformities. They address all three areas of the spine – cervical, thoracic and lumbar. The non-surgical spine specialists concentrate on discovering the elusive causes of serious back and neck pain and design a plan of action. They often recommend a conservative approach first to reduce inflammation or to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine. Patients are educated on the causes of their particular concern, and they are given information and instruction on management and prevention. |
More serious cases, particularly when the mechanics of movement are involved, are referred to the surgical team. The result is a definitive answer on what to do for each patient and a plan of care designed to most effectively address his or her individual needs. The advantage of a spine center is to pool resources, including diverse experience and depth of knowledge and to enhance treatment as research and technology advance. Appropriate techniques are selected after a thorough screening and assessment. X-rays are completed on site, so physicians can review them and start treatment on the first visit. The Spine Center’s combination of physicians and diagnostics increases the likelihood that the source of pain will be determined and appropriate treatment will be prescribed. If surgery is necessary, the team will design a plan that will optimize the outcome and speed recovery. Curtin explained, “Until now people with back or neck pain had to see several individual physicians at separate offices. Coordination of test results and appointments, not to mention coordination of medication and treatment, was a real challenge for patients. We have streamlined this process. Our expert multi-specialty physician team is all housed under one roof. We work together. The result is a definitive answer on all spinal conditions, and a coordinated plan of action to help people get better faster. Whether it is a trauma that demands immediate surgery, or a chronic back ache that demands in depth analysis, we are here to help.” |
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