Neurosurgeon VS Orthopedic Surgeon For Spine surgery

If you need spinal surgery, should you see a neurosurgeon or an orthopedic surgeon? Isn’t this a question that comes to your mind when you have spinal problems? The answer to this question depends on multiple factors. Keeping that in mind, we tried to explain the difference between a neurosurgeon and an orthopedic surgeon so that you know who exactly you should be going to.

Neurosurgery is a branch of medical science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of nervous system disorders (Brain and Spine disorders)

Neurosurgeons: A neurosurgeon is a surgeon who deals with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system including congenital anomalies, trauma, tumors, vascular disorders, infections of the brain or spine, stroke, or degenerative diseases of the spine. 

Education: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), MBBS with F.R.C.S, Master of Surgery, or Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Conditions treated by Neurosurgeons: 

Neurosurgeons treat people who are diagnosed with aneurysms, trauma to the brain and spine, blocked arteries, chronic back pain, birth defects, tumors in the brain and spinal cord, and peripheral nerve issues. Certain surgeries like carpal tunnel syndrome, brain, and spinal tumor removal surgery, and spinal surgery. Neurosurgeons also treat conditions like Parkinson’s disease and low-back pain that don’t require surgery. 

Sub-Specialties:

• Stereotactic neurosurgery and endovascular neurosurgery

• Endovascular neurosurgery and vascular neurosurgery

• Skull-base surgery

• Spinal neurosurgery

• Peripheral nerve surgery

• Pediatric neurosurgery

Orthopedic surgery: It is a branch of medical surgery that deals in conditions related to the musculoskeletal system. 

Orthopedic surgeons: An orthopedic spine surgeon is a specialist who treats problems of the back, spine, and neck with surgery. They are also known as a knee surgeon, Hip surgeon, ACL surgeon

Education: Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O)

Conditions treated: Conditions treated by Orthopedic surgeons are bone fractures, bone dislocations, ligament injury, sprains, tendon injuries, and bursitis, ruptured disks, sciatica, low back pain, and scoliosis knock knees, bow legs, bunions arthritis and osteoporosis, bone tumors, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy, club foot and abnormalities of the fingers and toes. 

Sub-Specialties:

• Foot & Ankle

• Hand & Wrist

• Neck & Spine

•  Pediatrics

• Sports Medicine

• Trauma

Common orthopedic surgeries  

• Joint replacement (adult reconstruction, revision, and replacement)

• Fracture care and trauma

• Knee Replacement surgery

• Hand surgery

• Shoulder surgery

• Hip surgery

• Knee surgery

• Nerve repair and nerve and muscle grafts

• Foot and ankle injuries

• Spine surgery

• Pediatric orthopedic conditions

• Sports injuries

• Limb deformity

• Tumor surgery for bone cancers

• Arthritis Surgery

• Knee pain surgery

• Knee Fracture surgery