Talking Artificial Disc and Facet Replacement Surgery with Dr. Vince Rossi

Back Talk Doc

As non-urgent medical procedures slowed during the height of COVID in 2020, some docs faced a lot of stress. Vince Rossi, MD, took advantage of his more-open schedule to get an MBA.

So, why did Dr. Rossi want to pursue another degree after becoming a successful neurosurgeon? He wanted to better understand the health care system in which he works, believing that knowing the business world would benefit both his patients and his practice. That desire to benefit his patients led him to do a year of his residency in Australia. He was able to see a higher volume of arthroplasty procedures in a shorter period of time.

On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, Dr. Vince Rossi, talk about artificial disc and facet replacement surgery. Dr. Rossi is a minimally invasive spine surgeon at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA).

Dr. Rossi’s entire philosophy surrounds improving the lives of his patients — from understanding the business and back end of things to ensuring each one of his patients has explored all conservative treatments before even considering spine surgery.

“If there's a reasonable option for any sort of interventional procedure or injections, then those are all the first first line treatment for that patient,” explains Dr. Rossi. “For me, the younger the patient is, the longer I make them wait before we talk about arthroplasty. Even if they've done six months of conservative treatments and they're a young, mid-20s-year-old, I want them to give their body as much chance as possible to heal that on its own.”

Tune into this episode of Back Talk Doc to hear Dr. Rossi discuss arthroplasty, his typical route for diagnosis, and what he would tell any potential patient about the pros and cons of this newer intervention.

💡 Featured Expert 💡

Name: Vince Rossi, MD, MBA

What he does: Dr. Rossi is a neurosurgeon practicing minimally invasive spine surgery at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA). He believes in using the least invasive methods to help patients reclaim their pain-free lives. Dr. Rossi focuses on motion preservation, specializing in non-fusion techniques such as endoscopic spine surgery and disc replacement.

Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA)

Words of wisdom: “When patients come to CNSA and get motion preservation options there, they're not just getting someone that knows how to implant these devices, they're getting an organization that really has [made] this technology available locally, nationally, and internationally.”

Connect: LinkedIn

⚓ Anchor Points ⚓

Top takeaways from this Back Talk Doc episode

• Conservative treatments are still the first option. While artificial disc and facet replacement surgery is changing lives for recipient patients, following conservative routes of treatment — spine injections, physical therapy, etc. — are still the first path for patients experiencing lumbar pain.
• Prevention is the best treatment. Dr. Rossi emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy spine. Practicing good behaviors in everyday life, such as when picking something up or doing core-strengthening exercises, will do more to protect the spine than anything else. Prevent and maintain before treatment is even necessary.
• Get curious. Curious about how to better help and improve the lives of his patients, Dr. Rossi determined that understanding the business and back end of the healthcare system would be beneficial. He pursued an MBA when surgeries slowed during lockdown to bolster that knowledge.

⚕️ Episode Insights ⚕️

[03:22] Bit of background: From his MBA to his rich family history in the medical field, to his residency in Australia, Dr. Rossi introduces himself and his history to listeners.

[06:42] Diving in: Dr. Rossi gets into the episode’s main topic: arthroplasty. He provides an overview of what it is and explains why it is so relevant in the world of spinal care.

[09:23] Presentations and responses: Based on different types of pain presentations, Dr. Rossi shares how he might triage a patient based on their symptoms.

[17:05] Before innovations: Prior to the emergence of arthroplasty options and still today, the standard of care for degenerative discs is physical therapy, over-the-counter pain medications, and lifestyle modification.

[20:54] Pros and cons: Dr. Rossi discusses some advantages and disadvantages of arthroplasty versus fusion, something he does with each of his patients.

[27:12] The brick and mortar: Just like hip and knee implants, lumbar arthroplasty devices have titanium and plates with a high polyethylene polymer core in the middle. Dr. Rossi breaks down what the device is made of, as well as what it looks like.

[34:29] Maintenance: Dr. Rossi maintains a healthy back through proper lifting techniques and core strengthening exercises. As he reminds patients, maintenance is cheaper and easier than repair.

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Back Talk Doc is brought to you by Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, with offices in North and South Carolina. To learn more about Dr. Lakhia and treatment options for back and spine issues, go to backtalkdoc.com. To schedule an appointment with Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates, you can call us at 1-800-344-6716 or visit our website at CNSA.com.