Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants

Scoliosis & Other Structural Deformities

Treatment for Scoliosis, Tumors & Other Structural Deformities in San Antonio, Texas

 

Certain conditions can significantly alter the structure of your spine, which very commonly leads to pain and mobility problems. Restoring proper function to your back, core and entire body requires our specialists to carefully assess the impact of your condition, and then provide the minimal amount of nonsurgical and surgical treatment necessary to relieve your pain.

Offering the full spectrum of treatments to ease your spine pain and help you live a more fulfilling life.

Each individual requires a custom, careful approach, and here at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants, we offer that in abundance. Every doctor will take the time to walk you through each procedure using our full-scale anatomy models and large digital displays. It’s our goal to ensure that every patient receives treatment with all questions answered and concerns addressed.

Here are just a few of the tumor and spinal deformity conditions we treat, along with their common symptoms and available procedures.

Scoliosis

A sideways curvature of the spine, most causes of scoliosis are unclear. Some signs that you may have scoliosis include:

  • Uneven shoulders
  • A single “chicken wing” shoulder blade that protrudes from the back
  • Waist tilted to one side, giving the appearance of one hip sitting higher than the other
  • One side of the rib cage sticks out more than the other

Diagnosis & Treatment

In order to diagnose scoliosis, we first look at the alignment of your spine when you bend over. If it appears to be shifted right or left, we’ll take X-rays to confirm the diagnosis. At our main medical center, we have special 36-inch X-ray film, which allows us to visualize your entire spine at once.

Note that it’s important to seek out a scoliosis specialist! Not every neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon has the requisite experience to treat scoliosis effectively, and it’s easy to make the condition worse if you haven’t studied it in depth. Dr. Zavala completed an advanced fellowship in scoliosis care and has extensive experience assessing the impact of spine curvature, bone density and nutrition—all factors that help determine your treatment plan. Some treatments we can provide and arrange for include:

  • Physical therapy
  • Back bracing
  • Nonsurgical pain management (such as injections)
  • Surgery isn’t necessary unless the spinal curvature is severe and worsening over time. In this case, we can perform a minimally invasive spinal fusion procedure to stop further curvature, likely saving you from severe, progressive back pain.



Spondylolisthesis

This is a condition in which one of your bones in your back (called “vertebra”) slides forward over the bone underneath it. As you can imagine, this can cause instability and even compress your spinal cord and the nerves exiting your spinal column. Symptoms can mimic many other disc and vertebrae conditions, including pain that shoots down your limbs, as well as numbness and tingling. In severe cases, you might also lose bladder control.

Diagnosis & Treatment

We can typically spot spondylolisthesis with an X-ray. Treating this condition starts with physical therapy to strengthen the core muscles, which will help hold your slipping vertebra in place. In cases where your spondylolisthesis is causing nerve damage, you may wish to consider surgery. Using minimally invasive methods, our expert neurosurgeons can remove tissue to decompress the spine and then fuse the affected vertebrae together to stabilize it.

If you have spondylolisthesis, know that your discomfort isn’t forever. We’ll walk you through the condition in detail and work with you to determine a treatment plan that suits your lifestyle and relieves your pain.



Spinal Tumors

Tumors that emerge in the spine (primary tumors) are much more rare than tumors that have spread to other areas of the body (metastatic tumors). Primary tumors generally emerge in young adults and take a long time to grow. Not all tumors are malignant cancers, however, and even benign tumors can put pressure on the surrounding structures, causing pain and warranting removal.

Diagnosis & Treatment

If we discover a malignant spinal tumor using imaging tests such as MRI and CT scan, it’s especially important to screen for cancer in other areas of the body. As specialists who are dedicated to collaborative care, we’ll work closely with your oncologist to determine the best way to treat your spinal tumor and other cancer locations. Depending on your individual situation or state of health, you may require chemotherapy or radiation prior to a surgical removal of the tumor, or it may be best to remove the tumor as soon as possible. Each patient has different needs, and at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants, we’ll work closely with you and other physicians every step of the way.

For benign tumors, surgery may not be necessary — or it may be impossible due to its location. We will discuss your options with you and decide on the best decision for your needs.

 

To schedule an appointment or learn more about how Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants specializes in spinal tumors and structural deformities in the San Antonio communities of Medical Center, Stone Oak, Westover Hills and Southwest, call 210-255-8935 today. You can also request an appointment using the form on this page.