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robotics and navigation should i haVe sPine surgery?
This refers to the use of special machines that allow Despite all these modern techniques and the available
the surgeon to accurately and safely insert spinal technologies, spine surgery should only be performed when
instrumentation into the vertebra, thus lowering the risk all other conservative or non-operative measures have been
of damage to the spinal cord and surrounding tissue. exhausted. However, spine surgery, when done for the right
reasons in the proper fashion, can yield excellent results.
neuromonitoring
special monitors are used during these surgeries to Netcare Waterfall City Hospital has a fully integrated
assess spine and nerve activity which makes surgeries Multidisciplinary Spinal Team - Spine at Waterfall
safer and prevents injury to nerves and the spinal cord. Our team involves an Orthopaedic spine surgeon, a Physiotherapist,
a Biokineticist, a Dietician and a Psychologist. Each member of the
spinal instrumentation team has a special interest or further training in the management
Modern spinal instruments are stronger, smaller, of spine conditions. We use a patient-based approach combined
have lower profiles and are made of materials that with shared protocols to ensure each patient is comprehensively
allow faster and safer integration. There are also assessed and treated. A team approach also means no unnecessary
more options such as cervical disc replacements, surgeries and true surgical cases are correctly identified, worked up

which avoid a fusion and are motion-sparing. and prepared. We also ensure team-based post-operative care.

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