News

MILD Procedure, Mildly Effective?

Written by: Stephen P. Banco, MD, FAAOS Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon The MILD procedure, or minimally invasive lumbar decompression, is a surgical procedure that is used to treat spinal stenosis. However, it is a surgical procedure performed by non-surgeons. The procedure involves removing small pieces of bone and tissue that are causing pressure on the spinal nerves, which can alleviate pain and improve mobility. While the MILD procedure is minimally invasive and can be…

New Study Shows Surgery for Herniated Disk Improve Faster

Written by: Stephen P. Banco, MD, FAAOS Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon Surgery for a herniated disk can offer significant benefits over conservative management, which may include rest, physical therapy, medications, and other non-surgical interventions. One study by Gugliotta and colleagues found that patients who underwent surgery for a lumbar herniated disk experienced faster and more complete relief of symptoms compared to those who received non-surgical treatment. The study by Gugliotta and colleagues compared the…

Lower back and leg pain and the recreational golfer

Written by: Stephen P. Banco, MD, FAAOS Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon Low back and leg pain are common complaints among recreational golfers. These conditions can significantly impact the golfer’s ability to play the game and may also affect their daily activities. Low back pain is often caused by strain or injury to the muscles, ligaments, or discs in the lower back, while leg pain may be caused by compression or irritation of the nerves…

Workers’ Compensation Neck and Back Injuries

Written by: Stephen P. Banco, MD, FAAOS Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon Neck and low back pain are common workers’ compensation injuries that we treat every day at Keystone Spine & Pain Management Center (KSPMC). Due to the specific nature of workers’ compensation in the state of Pennsylvania, these injuries can be frequently mishandled. Many times, neck and arm pain can be labeled as a simple neck strain. Likewise, low back and leg pain can…

Ben Simmons Undergoes Back Surgery for Herniated Disk

Written by: Stephen P. Banco, MD, FAAOS Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon Brooklyn Nets and NBA All-Star Ben Simmons has undergone back surgery for a herniated disk in his lumbar spine. Simmons reportedly injured his low back during his rehabilitation to return to the court after his trade from the Philadelphia 76ers. Simmons was slated to return in Game 4 of the Nets series with the Boston Celtics. According to reports his condition worsened and…

Medical Marijuana for the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Written by: Steven M. Evans, DO Director of Non-operative Services There have been significant advances over the past few years with the use of Medical Marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain. I have been certifying patients for Medical Marijuana for over 2 years. Many of the chronic pain patients I care for are enthusiastic about their results. I have seen many positive outcomes and few negative outcomes in the patients that are under my…