Nasal polyps are small, benign growths of tissue that develop within the lining of the nasal passageways or sinuses. Patients with large nasal polyps can experience severe breathing difficulties, decreased sense of smell, headaches, nasal...
A craniotomy is a surgical procedure in which a small portion of the skull is removed, allowing a surgeon to access the brain. This type of surgery may be beneficial for patients who develop a brain aneurysm or tumor, or experience significant...
Since the 1980s, laser spine surgery has been touted by many as the safest, most effective noninvasive means of operating on the spine. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic report that the procedure has never been studied in a controlled, blind research...
Patients who suffer from chronic sinus infections may benefit from sinus surgery. During this procedure, a surgeon removes blockages or excess tissue within the sinuses, making it easier for mucus to drain from the sinuses. Patients should discuss...
Labor and delivery can be a painful experience. Fortunately, anesthesia is available to ease the pain of labor for women who have vaginal deliveries or cesarean sections. Anesthesia used in labor has to be safe for both mother and baby.There are...
Narrowing of the spinal canal because of arthritis or a herniated disc may require surgery if significant symptoms are present. Symptoms such as radiating pain in the arms or legs, major muscle atrophy in the extremities or weakness in the arms or...
Surgery of the spine is performed for a wide variety of reasons, such as correcting bony alignments, tumor removal, disc resection and spinal cord decompression. All surgical procedures have risks involved with surgery in general, such as...
Cochlear implant surgery involves the placement of a small hearing aid, within the ear, which emits electrical signals that stimulate the hearing nerve and brain. Once placed, the cochlear device can significantly increase a patient's ability to...
Failed back surgery, chronic low back pain and reflex sympathetic dystrophy are all painful diagnoses that can affect mobility and functioning. A spinal cord stimulator is used to treat the pain signals generated by these illnesses with...
Back pain can be a debilitating and often hard-to-treat condition which affects nearly a quarter of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Acute back pain may last a few days to weeks while chronic back pain persists...
Sinus or nasal polyps are small growths of noncancerous tissue that develop along the inside of the nasal and sinus cavities. These growths occur most frequently in people who have asthma or allergies, according to The Merck Manuals Online Medical...
A laminotomy is a procedure sometimes used to treat a herniated disc in the spine. The intervertebral discs are small, cylindrical discs in between each vertebra of the spine that serve as shock absorbers for the spine. A herniated disc results...
The complications arising from surgically treating a tethered spinal cord depend on several factors. The most important of these is the patient's age, where young children have the best prognosis for symptomatic relief. However, the extent of the...
The exact type of headache you have may be determined by a number of factors, such as location and symptoms. Most headaches will be the result of tension or vascular problems. Understanding the nature and symptoms of headaches may help to diagnose...
An epidural is a type of anesthesia. Epidurals block the nerve impulses from the lower spinal segments, resulting in decreased sensation in the lower half of the body, states the American Pregnancy Association. Epidurals provide pain relief but...
An intrathecal pump, also known as a pain pump, is used to deliver pain medication directly to the spinal cord. The pump is surgically implanted in the body and designed to deliver medication over a prolonged period of time. The use of pain...
According to Medscape, exudate refers to the draining of liquid from open wounds in the human body. Exudate comes from the serum around inflamed, damaged tissue created by the mechanical force that created the wound or opening in the skin or mucus...
Dorsal cord stimulators, more commonly known as spinal cord stimulators, are electronic devices that are implanted and serve to treat chronic pain. They do not cure pain but instead work to lower it. This should result in a higher level of...
Epidurals provide pain relief in a variety of circumstances, including spinal or genital surgery, but are most commonly associated with labor and birth. According to the American Pregnancy Association, over 50 percent of women giving birth choose...
Prolactinomas are benign tumors that grow on the pituitary gland, a region of the brain that generates and secretes hormones. Prolactinoma tumor cells secrete a hormone called prolactin, a protein that plays a role in fertility and lactation. The...
An epidural, which is administered through a small catheter placed in the back, is a type of pain relief often used during labor and delivery to help block the sensation of labor pains. This is often a healthier or less stressful way to endure the...
Surgery of the spine encompasses a range of specific procedures on the bony spine, spinal disc, spinal cord or spinal nerves where each is designed to correct a certain pathology or condition. All spinal surgeries are complex and extremely...
Epidural anesthesia, also referred to as epidural analgesia or epidural block, is widely used in a variety of clinical settings. It may be used for any procedure beneath the nipple line during inpatient and outpatient surgery, during diagnostic...
Exercise-induced thunderclap headaches can be more than just painful and debilitating -- they can also be dangerous. Although uncommon, thunderclap headaches can signal a serious medical complication or issue that requires immediate medical...
Safe and appropriate anesthesia is a priority for both patients and their surgeons. While modern anesthesia methods are considered safe and effective, all anesthesia methods carry certain risks. Spinal and epidural anesthesia can trigger a spinal...
Spinal surgery for narrowing of the spine or spinal stenosis should not be done until trials with medications and physical therapy have been exhausted or patients have weakness or pain in their extremities. Having surgery on the spine, according...
Intrathecal chemotherapy is a form of chemotherapy that is injected directly into the spinal column or the brain. For intrathecal chemotherapy injected into the brain, a special device called an Ommaya reservoir is inserted surgically underneath...
