Dr. Ted Kostiuk

05/03/2024

https://youtu.be/F6dsyW-XSjU?si=6YZjVUloJ9sDCrVT

10/28/2021

In case you missed the discussion, you can view it at any time.

Dr. Kostiuk discusses the anatomy of the lower spine and the most common causes for low back pain. Treatment options, both conservative and surgical are reviewed, and participants’ questions are answered.

*We apologize for the distraction of the participant logos in the slideshow. This was our first virtual presentation.*

Dr. Kostiuk discusses the anatomy of the lower spine and the most common causes for low back pain. Treatment options, conservative and surgical are reviewed,...

10/24/2021

Join Dr. Kostiuk tomorrow at 7pm EST to discuss low back pain. Use the QR code to register for this free event, or go to www.drtedkostiuk.com/events. Bring your questions as there will be time for a Q&A at the end of the talk.

10/18/2021

Adjacent segment disease is something that can occur after a spinal fusion. The fused spine is immobile which can place increased stress on the joints above and/or below the fusion. This patient had a previous fusion at L4/5 and developed scoliosis and arthritic degeneration at the two levels above.

10/16/2021

Fusion surgery in the lumbar spine

There are various techniques to perform a lumbar fusion. Surgeons can access the spine from the front, side, or back and that decision is based on what pathology is being corrected and the patient’s anatomy.

10/13/2021

ACDF - Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion. This surgery involves accessing the vertebrae from the front by moving structures like the esophagus and trachea out of the way. While it seems more involved to go from the front, it is a much less painful procedure than if you were to go from the back. That is because there is a lot of muscle that must be dissected off the vertebrae in order to access the bones from the back.

10/12/2021

A cervical disc replacement is used to primarily treat cervical radiculopathy (pain, numbness, tingling, and/or weakness in the extremities) that has failed conservative care. It is not typically used to treat neck pain due to arthritis. The benefit of this procedure is that the patient can keep the normal motion of their neck, as opposed to fusing the bones which would increase the stress on the bones above and below.

10/11/2021

Spondylolisthesis - a condition in the spine where one vertebra slips over another. If you’ve ever had x-rays (radiographs) of your back, the technician may have asked you to bend forwards and backwards for your pictures. This is to check for the abnormal movement of one vertebra over another (spondylolisthesis). This condition doesn’t always require surgery but can progress and eventually cause nerve compression.

10/10/2021

On World Mental Health Day, we would like to bring awareness to depression that accompanies chronic pain. Statistics show that 85% of patients with chronic pain will go on to develop symptoms of depression, and the source of most people’s chronic pain is from their neck or back. The good news is that by recognizing the problem, you can begin to treat it. Start here with the questionnaire to see if chronic pain is causing you depression and make sure to discuss the results with your doctor.

Depression is often misdiagnosed when it occurs with chronic back pain - neither the doctor nor the patient suspect clinical depression may be occurring. But assessing depression is vital, so this article provides information and a questionaire for patients who believe they may be suffering from cli...

10/09/2021

Today’s topic is myelopathy. Myelopathy is compression of the spinal cord that causes loss of function that is often not painful. Patients will often blame old age (dropping things, balance is off, etc.) when it’s actually a myelopathy. Unlike radiculopathy, myelopathy is often a surgical disease and the surgery is done to prevent further damage from occurring.

In the picture below, you can see compression of the spinal cord which is causing damage or softening of the cord (myelomalacia). The whiteness in the cord on the MRI is evidence of myelomalacia.

10/08/2021

Bulging discs. Bulging or herniated discs most commonly occur in your neck or lower back. Depending on the severity and location of the disc, you may experience back/neck pain, pain that radiates to your extremities, numbness, tingling, and/or weakness of your extremities. Herniated discs do not always require surgery. Conservative treatment including time, physical therapy, over the counter medications and maybe steroids may be enough to resolve your symptoms. Surgery options are varied and based on your individual situation.