Spine care
Neurosurgeons and an orthopaedic spine surgeon assessing the same spine together, at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Most back and neck problems settle without an operation. When surgery is needed, we look first at whether it can be done through a smaller opening.
Is this the right place for you?
Start from what you are feeling, or from what you have been told.
If you have symptoms
- Back pain that travels into the buttock or leg
- Neck pain with pain, tingling or numbness in the arm
- Leg pain or heaviness that limits how far you can walk
- Weakness in the arm, hand, leg or foot
- Back or neck pain that has not settled after several weeks
- Ongoing symptoms after previous spine surgery
If you have a diagnosis
- Slipped disc & sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Cervical radiculopathy
- Cervical myelopathy
- Spondylolisthesis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal tumours
- Persistent pain after spine surgery
Loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the groin, or rapidly worsening leg weakness needs emergency care. Go to the nearest Emergency Department rather than waiting for an appointment.
How we treat
Treatment follows a sequence. Each step is used only if the one before has not done enough.
Getting the diagnosis right
We examine you and review your MRI. Back and leg symptoms can come from a disc, a joint, a nerve or elsewhere, and treatment depends on finding the actual source.
Non-surgical care
Most back and neck problems improve with time, medication, physiotherapy and advice on activity. We will tell you what to expect and how long to give it.
Image-guided injections
Targeted injections placed under imaging can ease nerve pain, and can help confirm exactly where the pain is coming from.
Surgery, when it is needed
Considered when a trapped nerve is causing weakness or numbness, when pain has not settled with other treatment, or when the spine is unstable. Where the problem suits it, we look first at endoscopic or minimally invasive approaches.
Surgical approaches
The smaller the opening, the less muscle is disturbed, which can mean less pain afterwards and a quicker return to normal life. A smaller approach is only better when it suits the problem, so the choice always starts from your scans.
| Compare | Endoscopic | Minimally invasive | Open |
|---|---|---|---|
| How the spine is reached | Through a small port, using a camera | Through small incisions, using tubular retractors | Through a longer incision |
| Muscle disturbed | Least | Less | More |
| Often suited to | Selected disc prolapses and trapped nerves | Decompression, and some fusions | Complex, multi-level or repeat surgery, deformity and tumours |
| Recovery | Often the quickest | Usually quicker than open surgery | Longer, depending on the operation |
Your spine team
Neurosurgeons and an orthopaedic spine surgeon, working as one team. Your case is seen by the consultant best placed for it, with the others’ input when it helps.
Questions
What patients most often ask about spine care.
Should I see a neurosurgeon or an orthopaedic surgeon?
Both treat the spine, and you do not need to choose. Tell us your symptoms and we will direct you to the right consultant. Where a case sits between the two, they review it together.
Will I definitely need surgery?
No. Most back and neck problems improve without an operation. Part of the consultation is deciding whether surgery is the right step, and when.
Is endoscopic surgery suitable for me?
It depends on what your scans show. Endoscopic surgery suits some disc and nerve problems well and others not at all. We will tell you honestly which approach fits your case.
How long is recovery after spine surgery?
It depends on the operation and on you. Smaller procedures often mean a short hospital stay and a return to light activity within weeks, while fusion surgery takes longer. We will give you a realistic range for your situation.
Do I need an MRI before my appointment?
Not necessarily. If you have had one, bring the images. If you need one, we can arrange it at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
Been told you need spine surgery?
We will review your scans and explain the options, including the ones that do not involve surgery.