If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with a primary spinal tumor, it’s important to learn all you can about the major types of these tumors — there are three — and seek treatment from a highly respected and skilled surgeon as you move forward.
As a board-certified neurosurgeon, Dr. Benjamin Cohen has extensive experience successfully removing spinal tumors. The work is complex and delicate, but his training, expertise, and compassion combine to make you feel confident that you’re exactly where you should be.
A primary spinal tumor develops within the spinal cord and spinal column. Those that develop outside are secondary tumors or tumors that spread to the spine from another site in the body.
There are three kinds of primary spinal tumors:
If a person experiences chronic back pain that can’t be traced to a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis or some type of injury, a spinal tumor is suspected. Additional symptoms of spinal tumors include:
If Dr. Cohen determines that you have a primary spinal tumor, he considers many factors when creating your treatment plan, from the specific type, expected growth, and location of your tumor to your individual medical history.
The good news is that primary spinal tumors are uncommon and usually benign, and the majority of malignant (cancerous) tumors are secondary. However, even a benign tumor can grow large enough to cause significant pain and discomfort.
If you have a primary spinal tumor, surgery is the best solution. The challenge with the procedure is that your surgeon must remove as much of the tumor as they can without impairing neurological function at all.
If a tumor is quite large, it may not be possible for the surgeon to remove it fully, in which case treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation, is necessary before or after surgery.
Dr. Cohen may also recommend spinal decompression surgery to ease the pressure on your nerve roots and reduce the pain.
This surgery, whenever possible, is a minimally invasive procedure. These types of surgeries allow Dr. Cohen to access your treatment area through small incisions, using specially designed surgical instruments to ensure that your nerve function remains intact. Minimally invasive procedures enable you to heal faster and experience less pain, bleeding, and scarring.
Dr. Cohen might also advise spinal fusion following decompression surgery so your spine is as strong and stable as possible. During this procedure, he connects two or more adjoining vertebrae using a bone graft and metal screws, plates, or rods.
The graft encourages bone growth, and the metal components keep the bones stable while the bones fuse together over time.
Whichever surgical solutions Dr. Cohen recommends, you’re in the best hands when it comes to superior, evidence-based care before, during, and after your procedure.
Contact our office at 516-246-5008 today and schedule a consultation with Dr. Cohen to explore a treatment path for a primary spinal tumor. We’re pleased to offer both in-office and telemedicine appointments, where you can meet with him in the comfort of your own home.
