Minimally Invasive Surgery at Summit [Video]

About the video: Does Summit Orthopedics perform minimally-invasive surgery?

Summit Orthopedics spine specialists David Strothman, M.D., and Edward Santos, M.D. discuss minimally-invasive surgery options offered at Summit.

Meet David Strothman, M.D.

Dr. Strothman’s approach: “Spinal disorders are complex and disabling. As your surgeon I will explain your diagnosis and treatment options, both operative and non-operative, in a way that you can understand thereby allowing you to make informed decisions. I am rewarded daily by improving the quality of life of patients receiving my care.”

Dr. Strothman’s education: Following his undergraduate studies at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, Dr. Strothman earned his medical degree at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. He then went on to complete his residency at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Orthopaedics, and later participated in the Orthopedic Spine Fellowship program at Twin Cities Spine Center.

Meet Edward Santos, M.D.

Dr. Santos’ approach: “I am committed to providing the best care possible for all of my patients with spine disorders. I treat each and every patient as I would treat any member of my family. I believe that patients’ concerns and expectations deserve to be heard. I also believe in the importance of having a thorough discussion of both surgical and nonsurgical options, with the goal of relieving pain and restoring function.”

Dr. Santos’ education: Dr. Santos spend many of his education years studying in the Philippines in Manila. He completed both his undergraduate and medical degrees at the University of the Philippines, and he finished Residency training at Philippine General Hospital. Later he participated in a number of Fellowships for advanced surgical training, including two in Adelaide, Australia, and two in Minneapolis, MN.

When to see a doctor

Summit Orthopedics is home to Minneapolis/St. Paul’s top spine specialists for neck and back pain treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or pain that don’t go away within a couple weeks, the spine team at Summit Orthopedics will work with you to confirm a diagnosis and develop an appropriate conservative treatment plan to address your problems.

Start your journey to a healthy spine: Find your spine expert, request an appointment online, or call us at 651-968-5201 to schedule a spine consultation.

More resources for you

• Ask Dr. Strothman: What Do I Need To Know About Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery?
• Ask Dr. Wahlquist: What’s the difference between minimally invasive and minimal access surgery?
• Ask Dr. Santos: What Is The “Gold Standard” In Spine Surgery?

Video Transcription:

David Strothman, M.D.: Summit Orthopedics has a number of providers that perform minimally invasive spine procedures and all are experts in it. Any patient who is seeking a minimally invasive spine procedure will under good care within Summit Orthopedics.

Edward Santos, M.D.: At Summit we have ability to offer cutting edge techniques for spine surgery. An example of this would be performance of minimal invasive procedures. The advantage of this is that instead of incurring significant damage to the soft tissues when we do these surgeries, we have now the ability to do them through small incisions with less soft tissue damage. I think that really makes a huge difference as far as recovery after surgery. We preserve the muscles, preserve the ligaments, which would otherwise be damaged with the conventional methods of doing the surgeries. This leads to faster recovery, faster return to work, and faster return to [inaudible 00:00:57]. Is minimally invasive surgery an option for everyone? The answer is no, there are certain cases that are amendable to minimally invasive surgery and most cases are at this time. There certainly are certain cases or situations where the more conventional methods have to be used.

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