Would you let a board certified orthopedic surgeon do ACDF?

[babsinga]

Just wondering.... I have three choices for surgery
ACDF 2 level:

1) Conservative Board certified orthopedic surgeon who seems qualified and will give me patient references. He only does 3-4 a month compared to other surgeries like bone fusions, grafts and complex fractures of spine. (He only does spinal surgery)
He is always available and called me personally several times. Believes in collars post op

2) Board certified neurosurgeon who is a very competent surgeon, good bedside manner, but followup appointments seem to be a big complaint of her patients. Also, she seems very assertive and assured, but thinks she can fix everything. Doesnt DO collars in her practice post op

3) Not board certifed neurosurgeon who tag teams with the best neuro in the area and would both do my surgery. They are conservative. Do collars.

4) Fourth neuro says I dont need surgery, but never examined me just looked at my MRI.

Should I go for a 5th???? God, I am tired.......... BB

[SKZ]

For mine, I used a board certified Orthopedic SPINAL surgeon. Make sure he specializes in spinal surgery, not just a regular orthopedic Dr.

[PNo]

1. board certfied for sure.
2. agree on Ortho (SPINE) fellowship trained.
3. Someone you can work with, you might be seeing them for a while.
4. How are the people in the office that work for them, NP,nurse, desk etc, do they give you the impression they care and will support you. the good surgeons like to spend their time working with pre-surgical patients and doing surgeries. leaving their practice staff to manage after care, except 1 or 2 key followups you will have with the surgeon.
5. Collar or no collar doesn't matter when making your decision. good studies supporting both ways.
6. neuro if you have lots of cord compression and neurological problems for sure.

PS - your number 3 sounds odd to me. this isnt a very complicated surgery in the scheme of things, not to make it sound trivial but there are worse. it does not take 2 surgeons to perform, usually one surgeon and a certified surgical assistant.

[Monty44]

A certified ortho spine surgeon performed the revision surgery to correct the failed fusion that my certified neuro spine surgeon did originally. Go with the certified surgeon you feel more comfortable with.

PS: The head of the Spine Center at Georgetown University Hospital is an orthopedic and is the head professor for the Spine Fellowship Program. He qualifies orthos and neuros.

[SpineAZ]

My surgeon was an orthopedic spinal surgeon and was really good. I agree with those above who say that SPINAL must be the specialty. For the guy I used, his practice ahs 3 surgeons and the majority of what they do is Spinal - they only do other stuff if it's closely related to spine problems.