Overview
Cleveland Clinic's Center for Spine Health offers a specialized program for the medical and surgical treatment of adults (>18 years old) with all types of spinal deformity. We have expertise in treating the simplest to the most complex deformities.
The adult spinal deformity program includes orthopaedic and neurosurgical spine surgeons, medical spine and pain specialists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, neuro-anesthesiologists, nurse care coordinators, rehab specialists, physical therapists and geriatricians. We utilize a team approach to ensure that every patient undergoing deformity surgery has an individualized preoperative evaluation to optimize your care prior to surgical intervention. The ultimate goal is to minimize the risks and enhance the outcomes of your surgery.
What We Treat
Spinal deformities include a number of conditions, each requiring a unique, individualized approach to care.
Diseases & Conditions
- Cervical radiculopathy.
- Cervical myelopathy.
- Cervical spine deformity.
- Complex spinal revision surgery.
- Degenerative scoliosis.
- Iatrogenic spinal deformity.
- Adult idiopathic scoliosis.
- Adult kyphosis.
- Post-traumatic spinal deformity.
- Spondylolisthesis.
Treatments & Services
- Medical spine evaluation and management.
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy.
- Interventional spine therapies (ablations, blocks, injections).
- Open and minimally invasive spine surgery, including:
- Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).
- Cervical corpectomy.
- Revision surgery.
- Complex deformity correction (osteotomies).
What to Expect
Patients seen in the Spinal Deformity Program are assessed by a team of experts who develop an individualized treatment plan based on the severity of back pain, neck pain and neurologic symptoms. The care plan typically involves the following phases.
Pre-Operative Evaluation
After an initial evaluation, each patient’s case is presented at a spinal deformity conference that includes a team of surgeons, medical physicians and neuro-anesthesiologists. A joint decision is then made on how to best treat the individual’s condition.
Patients selected for surgical treatment may undergo the following with the help of a nurse care coordinator:
- Pre-operative education that reviews the risks of surgery, optimization, preparation for surgery and post-operative care.
- A thorough pre-operative evaluation including lab work, appropriate cardiac testing, imaging, and referrals to aid with smoking cessation, bariatric surgery, nutrition and/or bone health (if needed).
- An evaluation by a pain psychologist.
- At least 6-8 weeks of pre-surgical rehabilitation including water therapy, low impact aerobic exercise, gait training and postural exercises.
- A geriatrics consult (for patients > 75 years old).
- An endocrinology consult (for selected patients with diabetes mellitus and/or a hemoglobin A1C >8).
Day-of Surgery Care
Patients undergoing surgical treatment of adult spinal deformity can expect the following on the day-of surgery:
- Pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative medications to optimize pain control.
- A pain management consult.
Post-Operative Care
Following spinal deformity surgery, individualized treatment plans focus on:
- Pain management.
- Early mobilization.
- A safe discharge to either home, a rehab facility or to a skilled nursing facility based on your progress and on medical necessity.
- Post-discharge nursing care coordination via MyChart and/or phone follow up.
- A post-operative visit completed in the office or virtually through Cleveland Clinic Express Care® Online.
- Additional radiologic images taken prior to discharge, and at regular intervals in the weeks, months and years following surgery.
The goal of this robust care program is to reduce post-operative complications and maximize function and healing.
Our Team
Director – Adult Spinal Deformity Program
Spine Surgeons
Physician Assistants
Nurse Practitioners
Outcomes & Results
Cleveland Clinic monitors the success of spinal surgery through use of pain disability questionnaires and a patient-reported outcomes measurement information system.
Access our latest outcomes results online:
- Cervical spinal disease.
- Lumbar spinal disease.
- Surgical complications.
Appointments & Locations
Make an Appointment
To make an appointment with a Center for Spine Health specialist, please call 216.636.5860 or 866.588.2264.
Virtual Visits
Whether you're a new or existing patient, you can get an initial evaluation or follow-up care from a spine specialist using your phone, tablet or computer. This means there's no travel or parking, less waiting and significant time savings. Call 216.636.5860 to schedule a virtual visit for you or a loved one and get details on cost and set-up instructions.
MyChart
MyChart connects you to your health care team from the comfort and safety of home. With this secure, online tool you can manage your appointments and complete pre-visit tasks, communicate with your providers, and keep track of your test results and medications.
