Spine Surgery St. Gallen: PD Dr Külling & PD Dr Seule, Eastern Switzerland Spine Center

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As the first point of contact for treating back pain, the Eastern Switzerland Spine Center offers the utmost medical expertise in orthopedics and neurosurgery for individual therapy at the highest level.

Considering the patient's medical necessity and personal needs, the team led by PD Dr Fabrice Alexander Külling and PD Dr Martin Alexander Seule develops the best possible conservative and surgical treatment strategy with a holistic view of the spine to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.

Recognizing and Treating Herniated Disks of the Cervical Spine

The complex structure of the cervical spine, consisting of intervertebral disks and vertebrae, enables a wide range of head movements and protects the spinal cord and the emerging nerve roots from injury. Age-related degeneration or chronic overloading can lead to painful herniated disks. In this case, part of the inner intervertebral disk protrudes through the usually stabilizing fibrous ring and can cause pressure on the nerve roots or the spinal cord.

Prompt and careful clarification is offered and carried out precisely at the Spine Center in Eastern Switzerland. During the clinical examination, movement blockages, pain in the neck or arms, and sensory disturbances and paralysis are identified and evaluated by experienced spinal specialists.

The conservative treatment approach is chosen first. Pain medication, physiotherapy, and nerve root injections relieve pain. The conservative treatment regime can often successfully and permanently alleviate the symptoms.

All surgical treatment methods, including disc prostheses, are available in more pronounced cases or if symptoms persist despite conservative measures being exhausted. In each individual case, the medical necessity of a surgical procedure is reviewed, and the surgical steps and necessary follow-up treatment are explained in detail with sufficient time for questions.

Most Extraordinary Expertise in Cervical Spinal Stenosis and Myelopathy

A narrowing of the spinal canal can lead to pressure problems in the spinal cord. Symptoms can include numbness, tingling in the arms, muscle weakness, and pain, which often begin gradually and increase over time. The narrowing of the spinal canal is caused by the thickening of the spinal ligament structures, herniated disks, and bone proliferation, which are triggered by degenerative processes, especially in later life. Over time, this can lead to considerable impairments in the daily lives of those affected.

Eastern Switzerland Spine Center specialists treat affected patients with many years of experience and an interdisciplinary treatment approach. Depending on the degree of severity, conservative methods such as physiotherapy and pain medication or surgical procedures are used.

Surgical treatment is carried out according to the latest scientific standards, and experienced surgeons apply the various interventional options with great skill and experience.

Osteoporosis of the Spine: Relieving Pain and Restoring Spinal Stability

Bone loss and a reduction in bone density are known as osteoporosis and occur more frequently in later life. Women after menopause are particularly affected, as the hormonal changes impact bone metabolism. Bone fractures and fatigue fractures can occur, even without previous trauma or falls.

The experienced orthopedists and neurosurgeons at the Spine Center aim to relieve the pain and restore the patient's mobility. In most cases, this can be achieved using conservative measures. In the case of unstable fractures and the risk of further bone collapse, the physicians recommend surgical treatment to stabilize the vertebral bodies.

Prior intensive diagnostics and bone density measurements are used to determine the degree of severity and for targeted treatment planning. The medication often required to treat osteoporosis is also discussed in detail with the patient. In this way, the risk of secondary fractures should be kept as low as possible.

Specialists for Herniated Disks of the Lumbar Spine

The sudden onset of leg and lower back pain can indicate herniated disks in the lumbar spine. The clinical examination also reveals muscle weakness and numbness in the associated skin areas. Here, too, conservative treatment is initially preferred. Infiltration of the nerve root to reduce pain and inhibit inflammation is often effective.

If, however, persistent or increasing pain or loss of function is experienced, surgery is indicated. The disc tissue can be removed, and the nerves can be relieved by widening the vertebral window. Surgeons choose the tissue-sparing, minimally invasive approach for this. If a herniated disk causes acute bladder or bowel dysfunction, emergency surgery must be carried out to avoid permanent damage.

Spinal Canal Narrowing of the Lumbar Spine: Diagnosis and Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis

A narrowing of the spinal canal in the area of the lumbar spine often manifests as numbness and tingling in the legs and muscle weakness when walking and standing. On the other hand, patients describe an easing of symptoms at rest or when bending the upper body forward.

The Swiss specialists at the Spine Center discuss the conservative options with patients, ranging from physiotherapy and pain therapy to nerve root infiltration. Surgical treatment options are also outlined if the symptoms persist. The focus is always on the patient. Concerns about back surgery are taken seriously, and surgeries are never ordered excessively.

The surgical risks and side effects are discussed in detail, and the patient's wishes are given priority. The established surgeries at the Eastern Switzerland Spine Center can bring about a significant improvement in symptoms in severe cases of spinal canal narrowing. The lumbar decompression procedure is carried out by surgeons with many years of experience and is a safe and effective treatment based on the latest scientific knowledge. In this way, the team has already been able to help many patients regain their mobility and quality of life.

Please visit the Eastern Switzerland Spine Center website for more information.