Spine Center

Offering a multi­specialty approach to care, the provider team at the Spine Center of Tulsa Bone & Joint is specifically trained to treat all spine conditions and spine disorders. If surgery is necessary, rest assured that we have a strong commitment to excellent patient care and strive to deliver state-of-the-art health services to each of our patients. Our spine surgeons, Dr. William Clark, Dr. Richard Drake, and Dr. Richard Thomas utilize minimally invasive procedures to heal the spine.

Spine surgery procedures:

• Artificial cervical disc replacement
• Artificial lumbar disc replacement
• Lumbar discectomy
• Minimally invasive lateral access spine surgery
• Minimally invasive posterior fusion spine surgery
• IDET (intradiscal electrothermalplasty; cauterization of a spinal nerve)
• Spinal fusion for lumbar spinal stenosis
• Laminectomy
• Vertebroplasty
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Balloon kyphoplasty
• X-Stop placement
• Spinal deformity correction

The doctors at the Spine Center of Tulsa Bone & Joint are affiliated with Union Pines Surgery Center (UPSC) (formerly Harvard Surgery Center), which is a newly constructed outpatient surgery facility designed and staffed to meet the needs of the outpatient or limited-stay orthopedic surgery patient.

UPSC is state-licensed, Medicare-certified, and Joint Commission-accredited. Our surgeons are also affiliated with St. John/Ascension (for major surgery), St. John Broken Arrow, St. John Owasso, and Jane Phillips Medical Center.

We offer a multi-specialty approach to provide patient-centered care by putting non-surgical spine specialists, diagnostics, spine surgeons, and spine-specialized therapists all under one roof. We continue to be a leader in quality of care by implementing the latest and most effective technological advances and continued education in the field.

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Minimally invasive spine surgery requires extensive training and experience to master use of the tools, but there is tremendous benefit for the patient. Spine surgeons at the Spine Center of Tulsa Bone & Joint partner with Union Pines Surgery Center to perform minimally invasive spine surgery, enabling many patients to go home the same day. Recovery in your own home is much more comfortable than staying in a hospital bed.

What are the advantages of minimally invasive surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery is a technique in which surgery can be performed through small incisions with the use of special devices such as an arthroscope or laparoscope. The advantages of minimally invasive surgery include:

• Smaller incisions (less scarring, faster healing)
• Shorter stay in the hospital
• Less post-operative pain
• Shorter recovery period
• Less damage to muscles and soft tissues
• Minimal blood loss during surgery
• Less risk of infection

Some of the spinal surgeries done by minimally invasive technique include:

• Spinal fusion
• Deformity correction (scoliosis)
• Herniated disc repair

For major spine surgery, our surgeons operate at St. John/Ascension. You may require a longer hospital stay, and your recovery period may be longer, but you are in the very best hands at the Spine Center of Tulsa Bone & Joint. Our spine surgeons are among the most experienced and highly sought-after orthopedic surgeons in Tulsa.

The Spine Center of Tulsa Bone & Joint strives to improve the care of back and neck pain with a non-surgical emphasis by putting non-surgical spine specialists, therapists, and diagnostics all under one roof for the convenience for the patient. For many patients, we can reduce or eliminate the need for more invasive treatments such as surgery.

We have multiple doctors at our Tulsa Spine Center who can help you, including fellowship-trained specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) and sports medicine: Dr. Christopher Martin, Dr. Sri Reddy, and Dr. Keith Stanley.

Our advanced, on-site diagnostics allow us to accurately diagnose the source of your symptoms. With this individual approach, we can achieve optimum patient outcomes, so you can quickly return to normal activities, work, and enjoying life free of pain.

The following is a list of some of the non-surgical treatments and services available.

Diagnostic Services

• X-rays (radiographic imaging)
• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
• Musculoskeletal ultrasound
• EMG (electromyogram; function and conductivity of nerves)
• NCV (nerve conduction velocity test, often coupled with EMG)
• DEXA scan (bone density scan)
• CT myelogram (computerized tomography of spinal nerves)
• Discogram

Physical Therapy

• Bracing (rehabilitation with a supportive device)
• Exercise (physical activity to promote strength)
• Types of medication (anti-inflammatory, pain control)
• Spine manipulation
• Traction
• Electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
• Ultrasound therapy

Interventional Spine Care

• Epidural steroid injections (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar) using fluoroscopy
• Facet joint injections / medial branch blocks at all spinal levels
• Selective nerve root blocks
• Trigger point injections
• Sympathetic nerve block
• Non-surgical spinal decompression
• Discography
• Spinal cord stimulation
• Radiofrequency ablation