Who do you go see when you think you might need surgery on your spine?
An interesting thing about spine surgery is that two entirely different disciplines specialize in it. You could choose to see a neurosurgeon, a doctor who has trained to treat disorders of the nervous system including the brain, nerves, and most importantly for this topic, the spinal column and spinal cord.
Or you could see an orthopedic surgeon, a doctor who has trained to treat problems of the musculoskeletal system.
Each type of specialist is an expert on the spine, but each brings a different perspective to the operating table.
Dr. Peter Angevine believes that the best way to approach disorders of the spine is to have both of these perspectives—so he trained as a neurosurgeon and completed a fellowship with orthopedic surgeons.
After completing his training as a neurosurgeon at the Neurological Institute of New York, Dr. Angevine became the first neurosurgeon to be admitted to and complete the prestigious fellowship in spine surgery at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis.
Dr. Angevine’s philosophy is that the surgeon with the most comprehensive training is the best able to treat spinal deformities.
It turns out that the surgeon with the most comprehensive training is also in great demand as a teacher. His unique training makes Dr. Angevine a popular speaker at educational conferences, such as the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).
At past sessions of the CNS he has taught popular courses on spinal deformity and balance. This year he taught a course to fellow neurosurgeons and neurosurgeons in training on the topic of “Advancements in Spinal Surgery Outcomes: The Results of Collaboration.” He also gave a lecture on “Outcomes of Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.”
You can learn more about some of Dr. Angevine’s past presentations from the following links:
- Dr. Angevine Discusses Spinal Balance at CNS
- Angevine Brings Spinal Deformity Expertise to AANS 2013
- Unusual BACKground Makes Dr. Angevine Popular Teacher on Spinal Deformity
Learn more about Dr. Peter Angevine at his bio page here.
