Best Spinal Surgery Clinics Abroad

Why is it Worth Visiting Spine Surgery Clinics Abroad?

Several facts make spinal surgery abroad one of the most in-demand. Some of these are:

Certified Clinics

Renowned clinics abroad have received international accreditation from organizations like JCI (Joint Commission International) and ISO, which ensures that these clinics offer high-quality healthcare standards.

Experienced Spinal Surgeons

Spinal surgeons abroad have around 15 years of experience and are trained at some of the finest institutes worldwide. This extensive training prepares them to deal with any spine condition.

Most of them are also members of international spine societies like the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery (ISASS) and the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS). This helps them to stay updated with the latest advancements in spinal surgery.

Availability of Latest Technology

Many Spinal Surgery Clinics abroad offer the latest surgical options, like robotic-assisted surgery, lasers, specialized endoscopes, and intraoperative imaging systems.

These advanced equipment allow for more precise procedures with smaller incisions and minimal scarring.

Affordability

Spine surgery abroad can be 30%-50% more affordable compared to countries like the USA and Canada. This allows you to access high-quality care at an affordable cost.

Top Countries and Clinics for Spine Surgery Abroad

Spinal Surgery in Turkey

Spinal surgery is one of the priority areas of Turkish Clinics. Patients from around 35 countries come to the country for spinal surgery. Some of the top Spine Surgery Clinics in Turkey are:

Hisar Intercontinental Hospital

Hisar Intercontinental Hospital is a JCI-certified clinic offering high-quality healthcare services. The hospital has treated over 8,000 international patients from 40 countries in the last 7 years.

The clinic's spinal surgery department has the most experienced spinal surgeons who use the latest technology, such as advanced imaging systems and robotic-assisted systems, to perform successful spinal surgeries.

They also use intraoperative fluoroscopy units, which help with proper imaging during operation and decrease the chances of error.

LIV Ulus

Liv Ulus is a multidisciplinary clinic that opened in 2013 and is accredited by ISO and JCI. The clinic has a hybrid operating room that is equipped with the latest systems like the O-arm CT, Auto-guide, Neuronavigation, Neuromonitoring, and Fluorescence filter microscopes.

These systems are used to perform complicated spine procedures successfully. Spine surgeons at the clinic also specialize in performing laparoscopic and robotic surgery, with a 10% higher success rate than other hospitals in Turkey.

Acibadem Hospital Group

Acibadem Hospital is accredited by Joint Commission International and is the world's 2nd largest network of healthcare facilities. Spine surgeons of the hospital prioritize minimally invasive spine surgery as this reduces postoperative complications and speeds up recovery.

They use cutting-edge equipment like the Zeiss Tivato 700 surgical microscope and Karl Storz & Ethicon devices for minimally invasive spine procedures.

Best Spine Surgeons in Turkey

Dr. Erden Erturer

Dr. Erden Ertuner is an experienced orthopedic surgeon at the LIV Ulus Hospital. His areas of expertise include spinal surgery, orthopedics, traumatology, etc.

Dr. Erturer is a member of reputed spinal surgery organizations like Marmama Spine Group and the Turkish Spinal Association.

Dr. Emre Acaroglu

Dr. Emre Acaroglu is an orthopedic surgeon at the Memorial Ankara Hospital. He is an expert in the treatment of spinal stenosis, scoliosis in adolescents, and adult spinal curvature.

Dr. Emre is a member of esteemed organizations, which include AOSpine, the Scoliosis Research Society, the Turkish Spine Society, and Eurospine. Moreover, he is the Founder of the Ankara Spine Society.

Dr. Serdar Baki Albayrak

Dr. Serdar Baki is a world-renowned neurosurgeon and spine surgeon. He is a member of the European Council for Neurosurgery and has performed more than 5000 surgeries, out of which 300 surgeries are of the spinal cord and brain.

Dr. Onur Yaman

Dr. Onur Yaman is a renowned Turkish Neurosurgeon with about 25 years of experience. He developed a spinal laminoplasty plate and has worked on more than 15 innovation projects regarding neurology and neurosurgery.

Dr. Onur Yaman also founded the following groups:

• Bosphorus Spine Study Group
• Mediterranean Spine Study Group

Spine Surgery in Spain

Some of the best spine surgery centers in Spain include:

Teknon Medical Center

Teknon Medical Center has accreditations like "JCI" and the "EFQM," which shows that the hospital offers outstanding quality management and high-quality healthcare standards.

The hospital receives more than 6,000 patients annually, including those who want to undergo spine surgeries. A wide range of spine surgeries are offered at the clinic, including minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal fusion, disk replacement, scoliosis correction, etc.

The clinic has also won the award for the best work in orthopedics from the Spanish Arthroscopic Association 4 times.

Hospital Quironsalud Barcelona

Hospital Quironsalud Barcelona is one of the multi-specialty hospitals located in Barcelona. It is ranked among the world’s top 20 hospital networks.

Quironsalud Barcelona is the first hospital in Spain to use the Mazor X Stealth™ Edition robotic guidance platform for spinal surgeries. It is the second hospital in Europe to use the Mazor X Stealth™ Edition robot.

This advanced technology helps surgeons plan the surgery beforehand and provides assistance during the procedure. The Mazor X Stealth™ robot ensures 100% accuracy in placing implants in the spine using minimally invasive, open, and percutaneous methods.

In addition to implant placement, the device is used for spine tumor resection and nerve decompression.

Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor

Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor is one of the most popular hospitals in Spain and serves over 400,000 patients annually. It has several prestigious certifications, including EFQM 400+, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001. It is the only hospital in the Catalonia region with the EFQM 400+ accreditation.

The Corporate Reputation Business Monitor has ranked Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor 12th in Spain and 3rd in Catalonia.

The hospital offers a comprehensive range of specialties, including advanced spine surgeries. Surgeons of the hospital perform various procedures like minimally invasive spine surgery, disc arthroplasty, and spinal fusion.

Famous Spine Surgeons in Spain

Dr. Rudolf Morgenstern

Dr. Rudolf Morgenstern is an expert spinal surgeon at Teknon Medical Center. He is a pioneer in endoscopic spine surgery in Spain and has over 20 years of experience.

Dr. Rudolf is a member of various international endoscopic spine surgery societies like the:

• North American Spine Society
• American Academy of Minimally Invasive Spinal Medicine and Surgery

Dr. Ferran Pellisé Urquiza

Dr. Ferran Pellisé Urquiza is a renowned spine surgeon with 30 years of experience. He is the director of various medical societies, including the following:

• GEER (Study Group of Spinal Diseases)
• EUROSPINE
• Scoliosis Research Society

Dr. Ferran is a reviewer of several national and international journals and has more than 70 scientific publications.

Dr. Augusto Covaro

Dr. Augusto Covaro is a renowned spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive surgery.

In 2012, he completed a fellowship in spine surgeries in Aarhus, Denmark, which was funded by the International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT).

Then, in 2016, he completed a fellowship in complex spine surgery in Uppsala, Sweden, which was funded by AO Spine. Dr. Covaro is an esteemed member of several prestigious medical societies, including the:

• Spanish Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SECOT)
• International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT)
• AO Spine
• EUROSPINE

Spine Surgery in Germany

German Spinal Surgery Clinics have spine surgeons who are well-known for performing successful spine surgeries using minimally invasive techniques.

Some of the renowned German Spine Centers are:

Rechts der Isar

The clinic is accredited by ISO, and all services offered at the clinic are according to international standards. The Spine Surgery Department at Rechts der Isar is a Level 1 Spinal Clinic in Germany. The department offers treatment to patients suffering from spinal degenerative, trauma, and tumors-related diseases.

Rechts der Isar offers state-of-the-art and minimally invasive techniques for spinal surgeries. These include:

• Vertebroplasty
• Thoracoscopy
• Microsurgical removal of intraspinal
• Disc prosthetics
• Kyphoplasty, etc.

Helios Hospital Kerfeld

Helios Krefeld is among the 200 best hospitals in the world according to Focus Magazine ranking. The clinic is also certified by DKG, IQM, and DDG groups, which shows that the clinic offers high-quality healthcare.

The Spine Surgery Department at Helios Krefeld offers treatment for degenerative diseases of the spine, stenosis, spinal disc hernia, etc., using minimally invasive techniques.

All surgeries are performed under modern microscopes to prevent damage to the nearby regions. In addition to this computer, navigation is routinely employed for surgeries to add more accuracy to the procedure.

Diagnostics and treatment procedures available at Helios Krefeld Spine Surgery Department are:

• Disc prosthesis
• Kyphoplasty
• Fluorescence microscopy
• Intraoperative neuromonitoring
• Vertebroplasty, etc.

University Hospital Düsseldorf

University Hospital Düsseldorf is one of the largest and most well-recognized centers in Germany. It is accredited by ISO, KTQ, and Top Focus Magazine.

The hospital takes around 348,000 patients from all over the world. The spine surgery unit of the hospital deals with patients who are suffering from spinal deformities, spinal disc herniation, tumors of the spine, etc.

Surgeons of the department work 24/7 and are experts in performing simple and complex spinal issues. The department is equipped with the latest technology like CT scan and navigation software. These technologies allow safe, accurate, and successful procedures.

Famous Spine Surgeons in Germany

Dr. Bernhard Meyer

Dr. Bernhard Meyer is the Director of the Spinal Clinic at Rechts der Isar Hospital. He is also a member and president of leading spine surgery societies like the German Society for Spine Surgery, Eurospine, etc.

In 2019, the German Society for Spine Surgery awarded Prof. Dr. Bernhard for his excellent work.

Dr. Ralf Hempelmann

Dr. Ralf Hempelmann is a senior spinal surgeon at Helios Endo Klinik Hamburg with over 29 years of experience. He specializes in treating spinal tumors using endoscopic tumor removal methods and has performed about 4,000 successful surgeries for the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Dr. Ralf has been awarded a certificate by the German Spine Association, and he is also a member of the association.

Dr. Jens Gulow

Dr. Jens Gulow is a spinal surgeon at Helios Park Hospital Leipzig with over 25 years of experience. He has expertise in spine fixation, spinal deformities, spinal tumors, and repairing fractures.

He has high success rates in treating spinal deformities and tumors and is regularly invited to speak at international spinal surgery symposiums. Dr. Jens Gulow is an official member of the German Spine Society.

Dr. Micheal Stoffel

Dr. Micheal Stoffel is the leading spinal surgeon at Helios Krefeld. He has numerous certifications related to Excellence in Spinal Surgery & Master in Spine Surgery from DWG (German Spine Society).

Spinal Surgery in Israel

Israeli Clinics are known for their cutting-edge technology and use of innovative strategies, which have increased the success rate of spine surgery by about 70-80%. (Sheba Medical Center)

Some of the famous Spine Surgery Hospitals in Israel are:

Sheba Medical Center

One of the best and largest hospitals in the world is known for its affordable care, treatments, and advanced research. It is known as the Israel City of Health. The hospital serves around 1500,000 patients every year, and the hospital's surgeons perform over 45163 surgeries annually.

Spine Deformity Center at Sheba Medical Center Israel is known for its best services in transforming thousands of lives.

Hadassah Hospital

Hadassah Hospital Spinal Surgery Center is not only famous in Israel but all around the world. Many international patients choose this hospital due to the expertise of its spine surgeons. Around 3500 patients from around the world get their spinal surgeries done at the department.

Famous Spine Surgeons in Israel

Dr. Zvi Lidar

Dr. Zvi Lidar is a neurosurgeon with a particular interest in the treatment of back and spine issues. He uses techniques like cervical and lumbar spine fixation surgery and discectomy for spine-related issues.

Dr. Lidar is a member of professional organizations like the Israeli Association for the Fight Against Diseases of the Spine and the Israeli Association of Spine Surgery.

Dr. Morsi Khashan

Dr. Morsi Khashan is a senior spine and neurosurgery specialist at Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov). He has expertise in herniated and degenerative disc treatments.

Dr. Vadim Bluvstein

Dr. Vadim Bluvstein is a certified spine surgeon and rehabilitation specialist at Loewenstein Hospital and provides rehabilitation services for spine injuries, hernias, and nerve compression. He is an active member of the Israel Spine Society.

What Diagnostics Are Done Before Spine Surgery in Clinics Abroad?

To make an accurate and detailed diagnosis of spine disorders, several diagnostic procedures are performed in clinics abroad. These include:

How is Spine Surgery Done Abroad?

Traditionally, spinal surgery was done through long incisions in the back. But now, spine surgeons abroad carry out operations through the latest techniques, which include:

• A minimally invasive approach in which incisions as small as 2-3 centimeters are used.
• Muscle-sparing techniques, which require gentle muscle retraction instead of complete dissection of back muscles.
• Special high-powered microscopes are used, which help surgeons to see the minor details of the spine, including cartilage, nerve roots, and small blood vessels.
• Endoscopic Guidance that provides a clear view of otherwise hidden areas.
• Intraoperative Imaging with advanced imaging systems like O-arm and Loop-X.

These systems capture real-time images of the spine, allowing surgeons to remove damaged structures or place implants with exceptional accuracy precisely.

This combination of minimally invasive techniques and advanced visualization tools allows surgeons to perform complex spine surgeries with less tissue damage and potentially faster recovery times for patients.

Spinal surgeries take around 2-4 hours to complete and have a success rate of around 75-95%, depending on the procedure. (NCBI)

Latest Spine Surgeries in Clinics Abroad

Spinal Surgeons abroad choose different surgical options depending on the patient's spine condition and needs. The most common surgical procedures are discussed below.

Minimally Invasive Procedures

Endoscopic Spinal Surgery

Depending on the surgeon's preference, the surgery can be performed with local or general anesthesia. Doctors use real-time X-ray imaging or special navigation systems to visualize the area. The person lies on their stomach on the surgery table, and the area of their back that needs treatment is cleaned.

Small cuts are made on the back, and small dilators are inserted to access the spine by spreading the muscles. Special surgical tools are put into the endoscope for spine procedures. For example, tools like micro-forceps are used for herniated disc surgery, and bone drills are used in spine fusion surgeries.

After the surgery, the specialized tools and endoscope are removed, and the incision is closed. Simple procedures like single herniated surgery can be done in just half an hour, but complex spine surgeries involving multiple vertebrae might take a few hours.

Vertebroplasty

Vertebroplasty helps to fix broken bones in the spine caused by tumors by using a special type of cement. The cement dries fast, making the vertebra stable and reducing pain. The process usually lasts 30 minutes to an hour for each vertebra being treated.

The patient is monitored for a few hours. If a patient needs rehabilitation services, the clinics offer those services, which relieves many patients. Vertebroplasty has a success rate of around 70% to 90%. [National Center for Biotechnology Information]

Decompression Procedures

Laminectomy

Laminectomy is a spinal procedure that helps to reduce the pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, performed using local anesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision over the affected area, and the lamina is removed to reduce compression in the spinal canal.

It usually lasts from 1 to 3 hours. After the surgery, you must stay in the hospital for a few days. Laminectomy offers success rates of about 90% in terms of pain relief. [spine-health.com]

Foraminotomy

Foraminotomy helps release pressure on the nerves in the spine by enlarging the neural foramen. During the operation, the doctor makes a small cut in the back or neck, and a piece of bone or tissue pressing on the nerve is taken out, making more room for the nerve to move out of the spinal column.

The surgery usually takes 1 to 3 hours and is performed as an outpatient. However, some patients require a stay of 1 day for post-surgical management. Foraminotomy has a success rate of approximately 80% to 90% in relieving nerve compression symptoms. [Spine Universe]

Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression helps to reduce pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. It can be performed through laminectomy, discectomy, or spinal fusion. The surgeon chooses the best option depending on the patient's condition.

It can be performed using a minimally invasive method, which results in a short hospital stay and quick recovery. Usually, the procedure takes 1 to 3 hours. The duration of hospitalization varies depending on the complexity of the procedure; however, it can range from 3 to 5 days.

Discectomy

Discectomy removes a portion of the spine's herniated or damaged intervertebral disc. The procedure is usually done under general anesthesia. During surgery, the surgeon cuts a small opening in the person's back and removes a damaged disc to reduce the pressure on nerves.

The operation usually lasts for 1-2 hours. Most patients can leave the hospital on the same day as an outpatient procedure. Discectomy has a success rate of about 90% in relieving leg pain caused by herniated discs [spine-health.com].

Stabilization Procedures

Artificial Disc Replacement

ADR is a surgical technique to fix damaged or degenerated spinal discs, which is done by replacing a broken or worn-out spinal disc with an artificial disc implant. It can be performed as an alternative to spinal fusion surgery.

Depending on where the damaged disc is located, a small incision is made in the patient's stomach or neck. The artificial disc is gently placed between the spine's bones, and the incision is closed.

The operation usually lasts about 2 to 3 hours, and the patient needs to be hospitalized for three days. The success rate of artificial disc replacement is as high as 90% [cuellarspine].

Lumbar Spinal Fusion

Lumbar spinal fusion helps stabilize the lower back (lumbar spine) by joining two or more vertebrae. During surgery, the doctor makes an incision over the compressed part of the spine and removes the damaged disc.

After that, the surgeon uses a bone graft or artificial bone to fuse bones. In addition, the surgeons may use metal rods or plates to provide support to the spine.

The surgery usually lasts 2 to 4 hours, and the patient is hospitalized for five days. The success rates for lumbar spinal fusion range from 70% to 90%. [National Library of Medicine]

Rehab After Spine Surgery in Clinics Abroad

Many spine surgeons abroad will recommend rehabilitation therapies after your surgery to speed up your recovery. Here's what you can expect:

• Your doctor will assess your progress to determine if you require hospitalization for initial recovery or if outpatient physical therapy is sufficient.
• Then, the rehabilitation team will create a personalized plan based on your specific needs and goals for regaining mobility.
• Initially, the focus will be on basic movements like walking, sitting, and standing.
• Gentle stretching and some other exercises will be gradually incorporated into the plan to improve muscle strength and mobility, as well as reduce pain.
• In some cases, occupational therapy may be recommended to help you manage everyday activities like bathing, dressing, and cooking.
• You may need to wear a brace or cast for several weeks to months to support your spine during healing.

Different types of rehab therapies are offered after spine surgery in clinics abroad. These include:

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