Spinal Unit

• Medical
• Rehabilitation
• Physiotherapy
• Chiropractic

• Echo guided local infusion
• Radio guided local infusion
• Dry puncture
• Selective nerve root blocks
• Selective pulsed radiofrequency
• Nerve roots
• Facet treatment
• Epidural blocks

• Endoscopy
• Discectomy
• Herniated fragment of disc compressing the nerve root is eliminated using endoscope vision.
• Microsurgery
• Micro discectomy
• Micro decompression with or without stabilization.
• Anterior and dorsal stabilization of the spine.
• Arthroplasty: an artificial cervical disc preserving neck mobility
• Arthroplasty: artificial cervical disc.

• Arthrodesis / Rigid fixing
• Dynamic stabilization

• Arthrodesis / Rigid fixing
• Dynamic stabilization
• Arthroplasty: artificial cervical or lumbar disc.

• Corpectomy with reconstruction of the spine (cervical, dorsal or lumbar)

• Kyphoplasty and Vertebroplasty for the treatment of vertebral fractures (osteoporosis) achieving stabilization and immediate pain reduction.
• Radiofrequency: Non-invasive technique without hospitalization for the control of lumbar pain and sciatica.

The most frequent consultation in a Spinal Unit is the pathology caused by the progressive degeneration of the elements making up the spinal column. Arthrosis of the spine, herniated discs and hypertrophy of ligaments are the largest group.

The intervertebral discs are the elements situated between the vertebrae, the aim of which is to absorb shocks and facilitate movement. Due to various factors (mechanical overload, aging, etc.) they can break and parts of the disc can move and compress a nerve root where it leaves the spinal cord. Although they can occur at any level, the more frequent occur in the lumbar and cervical section. Compression on the nerve causes pain, loss of sensation and/or strength in one of the extremities.

The spinal canal is the space which contains the spinal cord. It borders at the front with the back of the vertebral body and the intervertebral disc and at the back with the laminae with their intervertebral joints (facet joints) and the ligaments.

The spinal cord becomes thinner as is descends the spinal canal until it reaches the medullary cone (L1-L2), from which the lumbar and sacral nerve roots depart, forming the ‘cauda equina’.

When the diameter of the spinal column diminishes, the spinal cord and/or the roots can become compressed causing pain and difficulty in walking.

As a result of degeneration, the orientation of the joints between the vertebrae can alter, causing one vertebra to move over another (spondylolisthesis) causing pain.

The vertebrae can shift laterally (right or left) due to degeneration of the facet joints, possibly causing pain.

Various tumours can affect the spine and may have their origin in the spine itself (primary tumours) or they may be a manifestation of a tumour somewhere (metastasis). Tumours may be located in the vertebrae, compressing the nerve structures or they may directly affect the nerve tissue.

High energy injuries (or low energy if they affect fragile bone tissue, such as osteoporotic bone) cause total or partial damage to one or several of the elements making up the spinal column.

Various pathologies involving inflammation can affect some part of the spine.

Infection (viral, bacterial or fungal) of the vertebral bone or the intervertebral disc (discitis) are a frequent cause of pain and vertebral fractures.

Various defects present at birth can cause spine problems, especially childhood scoliosis (anomalous deviations of the spine), the so-called spondylolisthesis vera, anchored medulla, mielomeningocele and Chiari malformation.