One of the most distinctive features of LSI is the fac that we focus solely on treating the spine. This specialized focus partially accounts for our surgeons' high level of expertise and our impressive success rate. In addition to the advantages of having a surgical team with proven expertise in performing minimally invasive spine procedures, patients also benefit from the convenience of our signature five day process and unparalleled patient service. Dr. James St. Louis, Founder and Chief Spine Surgeon of Laser Spine Institute Tampa recently discussed how these and other factors attribute to our patients' surgical outcomes. Click here to watch the video.
Who Should Attend?
Our seminars provide useful information for anyone who is experiencing back or neck pain. Whether, you are exploring available treatment options, want a second opinion on your diagnosis, or specifically want to learn more about minimally invasive spine procedures, you will find our seminars beneficial.
What Can Attendees Expect?
1) General Presentation - Our physician provides a comprehensive overview of spine anatomy and back pain, discuss a variety of spine conditions, and available treatment options. After the physician's presentation, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions in an open forum.
2) MRI/CTScan Review - Before and after the general presentation, attendees have the opportunity to individually meet with our physician for a review of their radiographic images, i.e., MRI or CTScans, in addition to symptoms and condition discussion.
3) Scheduling and Insurance Information - Patient Coordinators are available after the medical discussion to provide scheduling and insurance information to attendees who wish to inquire further about LSI's surgical costs, relative to individual insurance plan, and appointment availability.
How to Register
You can view our seminar calendar or register for seminars by visiting spineseminar.com or calling 1-866-454-2911. Upcoming seminar locations include: Winnipeg, Boston, MA, Austin, TX Birmingham, AL, Long Island, NY and West Palm Beach, FL.
Next Monday, November 2nd marks an important day in the Horne household. My wife, Charlotte, will have her final reconstructive surgery to complete her recovery from breast cancer. She is now cancer free! This has been a long 14 month surgery, but one that she has handled with dignity and grace. Her positive spirit has truly been an inspiration to so many and the model on how to cope with such devastating news.
Charlotte was diagnosed in August, 2008 with triple negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive types. We were told that we had to hope we caught it early enough that it had not spread to her lymph nodes. A few days later, Dr. John Cox performed her surgery only to find a day later that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. As you can imagine, our hearts sunk and our family was devastated. But, as only Charlotte could do, she comforted the rest of the family. Her faith and spirit lifted the rest of us through a difficult time.
A second surgery was performed to remove lymph nodes, followed by extensive chemotherapy and weeks of radiation. It was a long journey, but each day, she faced the challenge with an amazing attitude. There were days when I was tired and just did not feel I could exercise, but each day, no matter how much chemo had been pumped through her veins, she got up and jogged on the treadmill or rode on her bike. I knew then that her incredible will to live would lead to her survival.
Now, 14 months later through all the hardships and different wigs we bought, her spirit remains the same. Her short haircut looks adorable and her smile is as infectious as ever. She talks to cancer patients each week, lifting their spirits and letting them know that it is not the end of the world. It helps and she knows it!
We are blessed to have Dr. John Cox in our life. His skin saving, nipple saving breast cancer procedure should be spread all over the world. He is a genius and a doctor who cares. If you know of anyone facing this horrible disease, you owe it to yourself to tell them to seek him out. We will never forget him. How fitting is it that as we wrap up breast cancer awareness month we are able to close the chapter on this long journey? I only hope that other victims of this disease can be just as lucky.
Charlotte was diagnosed in August, 2008 with triple negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive types. We were told that we had to hope we caught it early enough that it had not spread to her lymph nodes. A few days later, Dr. John Cox performed her surgery only to find a day later that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. As you can imagine, our hearts sunk and our family was devastated. But, as only Charlotte could do, she comforted the rest of the family. Her faith and spirit lifted the rest of us through a difficult time.
A second surgery was performed to remove lymph nodes, followed by extensive chemotherapy and weeks of radiation. It was a long journey, but each day, she faced the challenge with an amazing attitude. There were days when I was tired and just did not feel I could exercise, but each day, no matter how much chemo had been pumped through her veins, she got up and jogged on the treadmill or rode on her bike. I knew then that her incredible will to live would lead to her survival.
Now, 14 months later through all the hardships and different wigs we bought, her spirit remains the same. Her short haircut looks adorable and her smile is as infectious as ever. She talks to cancer patients each week, lifting their spirits and letting them know that it is not the end of the world. It helps and she knows it!
We are blessed to have Dr. John Cox in our life. His skin saving, nipple saving breast cancer procedure should be spread all over the world. He is a genius and a doctor who cares. If you know of anyone facing this horrible disease, you owe it to yourself to tell them to seek him out. We will never forget him. How fitting is it that as we wrap up breast cancer awareness month we are able to close the chapter on this long journey? I only hope that other victims of this disease can be just as lucky.
LSI's goal to be the world leader in spine care is not just wishful thinking. It's our compelling vision for revolutionizing the spine care industry that has energized our company at every level and motivated us to pursue lofty standards of service and quality.
To this end, I am pleased to announce the acquisition of Aspen Back and Body, a widely recognized spine care brand. Aspen Back and Body has assembled a loyal following of thousands of clients looking for solutions to back and neck pain. ABB clients travel great distances - typically more than 500 miles - to take advantage of their unique "spine fitness" program offering, designed to assess and improve spine-related muscle strength, alignment, flexibility, as well as enhance general wellness.
This new non-surgical capability extends the portfolio of services we provide and broadens the range of patients we can serve. In addition to the strong services opportunity ABB represents, the acquisition also brings a spine care product portfolio. This is an exciting development, one that will allow us to help many more folks!
To our patients - thank you for choosing LSI and continuously recommending our services. Click here to learn more about Aspen Back and body.
Laser Spine Institute's Blog Homepage
To this end, I am pleased to announce the acquisition of Aspen Back and Body, a widely recognized spine care brand. Aspen Back and Body has assembled a loyal following of thousands of clients looking for solutions to back and neck pain. ABB clients travel great distances - typically more than 500 miles - to take advantage of their unique "spine fitness" program offering, designed to assess and improve spine-related muscle strength, alignment, flexibility, as well as enhance general wellness.
This new non-surgical capability extends the portfolio of services we provide and broadens the range of patients we can serve. In addition to the strong services opportunity ABB represents, the acquisition also brings a spine care product portfolio. This is an exciting development, one that will allow us to help many more folks!
To our patients - thank you for choosing LSI and continuously recommending our services. Click here to learn more about Aspen Back and body.
Laser Spine Institute's Blog Homepage
Tuesday, October 20th marked the 5th anniversary of one of the most important days of my life. It was exactly 5 years ago that Dr. Jim St. Louis and his incredible team performed a minimally invasive neck surgery on me that has forever changed my life. I thank God for Dr. St. Louis, Dr. Michael Perry, Dr. Glen Hamburg, Jim Stafford, and my angel, Stacy Danahy. Stacy wiped my nose, rubbed my feet, and at one point, got down and lay on the floor facing up at me to talk me through a terrible claustrophobic moment.
Five years ago, I was a miserable human being. I had no quality of life. I was in such pain and could not imagine how I was going to make it through the rest of my life. Today, I am pain free and I feel it is my duty to continue to PAY IT FORWARD and tell the world about the great things we do at LSI! Since that fateful day five years ago, we have helped over 12,000 patients "get their lives back." And, thanks to our patients and dedicated staff, we should help 40,000 to 50,000 more over the next five years. We are making a huge difference every day. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of this great company.
So, thank you Dr. St. Louis, Dr. Perry, Dr. Hamburg, Jim Stafford, and Stacy Danahy for changing my life and the lives of 12,000 others. It has been an incredible ride. As Tim McGraw would say, "I can't wait til the next 30 years!"
Five years ago, I was a miserable human being. I had no quality of life. I was in such pain and could not imagine how I was going to make it through the rest of my life. Today, I am pain free and I feel it is my duty to continue to PAY IT FORWARD and tell the world about the great things we do at LSI! Since that fateful day five years ago, we have helped over 12,000 patients "get their lives back." And, thanks to our patients and dedicated staff, we should help 40,000 to 50,000 more over the next five years. We are making a huge difference every day. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of this great company.
So, thank you Dr. St. Louis, Dr. Perry, Dr. Hamburg, Jim Stafford, and Stacy Danahy for changing my life and the lives of 12,000 others. It has been an incredible ride. As Tim McGraw would say, "I can't wait til the next 30 years!"
October is National Health Literacy Month and tomorrow is Spine Health Day, making this an opportune time to discuss health information resources. With the advent of the internet, it is relatively easy to get information on just about any topic, but the freedom to post content renders an interesting mix of information, including everything from tall tales to facts. So, how do you know what is credible? The list below provides a few facts to consider. Please feel free to share any additional tips that you may have.
• Trusted Source -ensure that that the information on the website is written or contributed by health professionals, who have knowledge or experience related to the specific topic. In addition, the article should be written in a way that clearly distinguishes fact from opinion or allows the reader to make that distinction.
• Demonstrated Expertise - Claims of expertise and authority should be accompanied by supporting evidence. If the author or contributor is a current practitioner, what is their scope of experience, i.e., how many procedures has he/she successful performed?
• Verifiability - Practitioners and scientists who have been actively engaged in their field usually have verifiable credentials. As such, you are able to obtain information regarding education, training, experience, and practice record from local .gov websites or professional organizations.
• Relevance - Medical and scientific advancements, though occurring at a moderate pace, are ongoing. As such, always check to ensure that content on the website is being updated regularly. Sites that are organized archived by date or those with date stamps allow you to determine how up to date the information is.
I am sure that Aunt Molly or Uncle Tom mean well and they may even have some good information, but it is always a good idea to verify information with a practitioner. Fortunately, many health organizations are increasingly utilizing the internet to provide patients with free information. Individuals have also become proactive, sharing information gathered from trusted sources with similar conditions.
Spinehealth.com, spineuniverse.com, webmd.com, spine.org, and aaos.org are all good sources for health information. Our monthly newsletter, The Spinal Column, and our blog also provide valuable health information, contributed by current practitioners. This information can be found in the Ask the Doctor & Prevention sections of our newsletter and the Healthy Spine Tips & Emerging vs. Existing Science sections of our blog. To access any of LSI's courtesy services or resources, click on the links below.
• MRI review from a board certified physician
• Nationwide educational seminars
• Spinal Column
• LSI Blog Tips
• Trusted Source -ensure that that the information on the website is written or contributed by health professionals, who have knowledge or experience related to the specific topic. In addition, the article should be written in a way that clearly distinguishes fact from opinion or allows the reader to make that distinction.
• Demonstrated Expertise - Claims of expertise and authority should be accompanied by supporting evidence. If the author or contributor is a current practitioner, what is their scope of experience, i.e., how many procedures has he/she successful performed?
• Verifiability - Practitioners and scientists who have been actively engaged in their field usually have verifiable credentials. As such, you are able to obtain information regarding education, training, experience, and practice record from local .gov websites or professional organizations.
• Relevance - Medical and scientific advancements, though occurring at a moderate pace, are ongoing. As such, always check to ensure that content on the website is being updated regularly. Sites that are organized archived by date or those with date stamps allow you to determine how up to date the information is.
I am sure that Aunt Molly or Uncle Tom mean well and they may even have some good information, but it is always a good idea to verify information with a practitioner. Fortunately, many health organizations are increasingly utilizing the internet to provide patients with free information. Individuals have also become proactive, sharing information gathered from trusted sources with similar conditions.
Spinehealth.com, spineuniverse.com, webmd.com, spine.org, and aaos.org are all good sources for health information. Our monthly newsletter, The Spinal Column, and our blog also provide valuable health information, contributed by current practitioners. This information can be found in the Ask the Doctor & Prevention sections of our newsletter and the Healthy Spine Tips & Emerging vs. Existing Science sections of our blog. To access any of LSI's courtesy services or resources, click on the links below.
• MRI review from a board certified physician
• Nationwide educational seminars
• Spinal Column
• LSI Blog Tips
A few weeks ago, I announced the opening of LSI consult facilities in Fort Lauderdale and The Villages, FL, and Beverly Hills, CA. Today, I am pleased to tell you that a third surgical center will be opening in Philadelphia next month. On several occasions, patients suffering from chronic back and neck pain have expressed concern regarding traveling long distances, which often involves being in confined positions for an extended period of time and sometimes exacerbates existing pain. In response to this consideration, coupled with the general growing demand for our minimally invasive procedures, we are making our services more geographically accessible. In the weeks ahead, I will be posting updates and additional photos. Click here to learn more about our new facility.
* Fellow of American Board of Orthopedic Surgery* Fellow of American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
* Florida Medical Association
* North American Spine Society
Dr. Stefan Prada joined Laser Spine Institute after 9 years of dedication to orthopedic surgery at a previous practice and in the U.S. Navy. Graduating Magna Cum Laude from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with his Bachelor's Degree in Biology in 1987, Dr. Prada went on to receive his Doctorate of Medicine from Albany Medical College in Albany, New York.
After completing his Surgical Internship at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, he began his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science in Little Rock, Arkansas. Upon completion, he served in the U.S. Navy as a physician. His many achievements include numerous research publications, Decoration of the Joint Meritorious Unit Award from the United States Naval Forces, among many other Military Decorations, and First Prize for the Outstanding Research Project from the 14th Annual Arkansas Orthopedic Forum.
Dr. Prada relocated to Florida in 2007 with his wife Donia, who is a nurse, along with their 3 children; Angelina, Isabella and Nicholas. He enjoys boating, jet skiing, and other water sports with his family.
Laser Spine Institute's Blog Homepage
Yvonne's story was featured in last month's issue of our monthly newsletter, The Spinal Column. Having led an active lifestyle, prior to debilitating back and neck pain, this story resonated with me, as I'm sure it will with many of you. Regaining the ability to do the things you love, whether it is walking to the park or on the beach, playing your favorite sport, dancing with your spouse, or holding a child or grandchild, is truly liberating. If you are experiencing back or neck pain, I hope that you find these stories encouraging and know that you're not alone. Enjoy!
As a result of an accident in 2006, Yvonne Renaud sustained thoracic [mid-back] injuries, which took a toll on her life. "I never ever understood or had much sympathy for people who complained about back pain...until I had an auto accident and started to walk in their shoes. Before I decided on spine surgery at LSI, I talked to past patients. Unfortunately, they had cervical or lumbar surgery, but I figured if they had good results, I was confident I would. A particular patient I spoke to had severe lumbar problems, had been taken to LSI in a wheelchair and he walked out the day of surgery. That was 4 years ago; he is walking and pain free today. The best part of your surgery is you don't do fusion. If patients only knew the choices they had besides fusion, more informed decisions would be made, without having to have additional fusion above and below the original fusions within a few years."
Eight months after surgery at LSI, Yvonne, 64, contacted her LSI family to report her outstanding outcome and new adventures.
June 8, 2009
Hello. My name is Yvonne Renaud and I had thoracic surgery November 20, 2008 with Dr. Wolff at your institute in Florida. He performed surgery for bulging discs with better than excellent results. They promised me 70-75% decrease in my pain. In 4 weeks, I attained that level and between 6-8 weeks the results went close to 90% improvement. As long as I "follow the rules" as set by my physiotherapist, Irene, I am basically pain free. If I skip the spinal exercises or rest periods, I have a small amount of pain usually by evening, but even that is well controlled with a couple Extra Strength Tylenol. This surgery has been a wonderful experience and has restored a quality of life I thought was impossible after my vehicle accident. Please consider me to be in LSI's Patient Spotlight. I know that the thoracic surgery is relatively rare, and I have had excellent results. I would love to talk to others who are considering this surgery!
June 30, 2009
To bring you up to date, we are on vacation, having left PA last Saturday. We are 300 miles from our intended destination of Tulsa, OK, where we should arrive tomorrow. This is a distance of about 1,300 miles one way. Saturday, we will slowly start back home, arriving home the weekend of July 11-12th; a total distance of at least 2,600 miles, all by motorcycle, and yes, I am driving my orange trike the whole way. My back is wonderful!
July 12, 2009
P.S. We returned from our 2 week motorcycle trip, from PA to Tulsa, OK; home by way of Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, motorcycling over 3,300 safe and delightful miles with me driving my beloved "Pumpkin Gold Wing" motorcycle. It was GREAT!!!!! A dream I never thought 2 ½ years ago I could ever do again! Thanks to the Laser Spine Institute, and Dr. Wolff...it has become reality!
July 13, 2009
Irene, the physiotherapist who worked with me after my surgery, told me about using a small pillow low down on my back for the correct support and no matter where I go, I use one faithfully. If I don't, ouchies! If I don't maintain good posture, my back tells me...ouchies. If I do it right...no ouchies!!! So once I started to get back into motorcycling and long distant driving at times, I tried many different custom (and expensive seats), as well as back rests. I found just one that works wonders for me. It is adjusted as far forward as it will go, and I can ride my Gold Wing trike 4-5 hours without back pain.
August 17, 2009
Ok, here is the picture of me in West Virginia "shooting the rapids", class 5 rapids, which are pretty darn nasty looking, huh? But boy oh boy what a LOT of fun they were! I am trying to talk my hubby into taking me back there the first part of September. I want to do the intermediate rapids, 6 hours on the river for my 64th birthday. Am I crazy or what?
Click here to subscribe to The Spinal Column.
Yvonne's Journal
As a result of an accident in 2006, Yvonne Renaud sustained thoracic [mid-back] injuries, which took a toll on her life. "I never ever understood or had much sympathy for people who complained about back pain...until I had an auto accident and started to walk in their shoes. Before I decided on spine surgery at LSI, I talked to past patients. Unfortunately, they had cervical or lumbar surgery, but I figured if they had good results, I was confident I would. A particular patient I spoke to had severe lumbar problems, had been taken to LSI in a wheelchair and he walked out the day of surgery. That was 4 years ago; he is walking and pain free today. The best part of your surgery is you don't do fusion. If patients only knew the choices they had besides fusion, more informed decisions would be made, without having to have additional fusion above and below the original fusions within a few years."
Eight months after surgery at LSI, Yvonne, 64, contacted her LSI family to report her outstanding outcome and new adventures.
June 8, 2009
Hello. My name is Yvonne Renaud and I had thoracic surgery November 20, 2008 with Dr. Wolff at your institute in Florida. He performed surgery for bulging discs with better than excellent results. They promised me 70-75% decrease in my pain. In 4 weeks, I attained that level and between 6-8 weeks the results went close to 90% improvement. As long as I "follow the rules" as set by my physiotherapist, Irene, I am basically pain free. If I skip the spinal exercises or rest periods, I have a small amount of pain usually by evening, but even that is well controlled with a couple Extra Strength Tylenol. This surgery has been a wonderful experience and has restored a quality of life I thought was impossible after my vehicle accident. Please consider me to be in LSI's Patient Spotlight. I know that the thoracic surgery is relatively rare, and I have had excellent results. I would love to talk to others who are considering this surgery!
June 30, 2009To bring you up to date, we are on vacation, having left PA last Saturday. We are 300 miles from our intended destination of Tulsa, OK, where we should arrive tomorrow. This is a distance of about 1,300 miles one way. Saturday, we will slowly start back home, arriving home the weekend of July 11-12th; a total distance of at least 2,600 miles, all by motorcycle, and yes, I am driving my orange trike the whole way. My back is wonderful!
July 12, 2009
P.S. We returned from our 2 week motorcycle trip, from PA to Tulsa, OK; home by way of Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, motorcycling over 3,300 safe and delightful miles with me driving my beloved "Pumpkin Gold Wing" motorcycle. It was GREAT!!!!! A dream I never thought 2 ½ years ago I could ever do again! Thanks to the Laser Spine Institute, and Dr. Wolff...it has become reality!
July 13, 2009
Irene, the physiotherapist who worked with me after my surgery, told me about using a small pillow low down on my back for the correct support and no matter where I go, I use one faithfully. If I don't, ouchies! If I don't maintain good posture, my back tells me...ouchies. If I do it right...no ouchies!!! So once I started to get back into motorcycling and long distant driving at times, I tried many different custom (and expensive seats), as well as back rests. I found just one that works wonders for me. It is adjusted as far forward as it will go, and I can ride my Gold Wing trike 4-5 hours without back pain.
August 17, 2009
Ok, here is the picture of me in West Virginia "shooting the rapids", class 5 rapids, which are pretty darn nasty looking, huh? But boy oh boy what a LOT of fun they were! I am trying to talk my hubby into taking me back there the first part of September. I want to do the intermediate rapids, 6 hours on the river for my 64th birthday. Am I crazy or what?
Click here to subscribe to The Spinal Column.
On Tuesday, September 1st, Dr. Michael Weiss, Chief Spine Surgeon at LSI Scottsdale, completed the 1,000th surgery. No other spine surgery center in world has completed 1,000 minimally invasive endoscopic spine surgeries in less than 8 months, and more importantly, with an 88% success rate and a 91% patient satisfaction rate. In addition, 99% of the patients surveyed reported that they would recommend LSI to a family or friend.
To say that I am proud of the LSI Scottsdale staff would be an understatement. Drs. Weiss, Flood Luke, and staff have exceeded my expectations regarding surgical outcomes, service, and compassion. If you are among the 1,000 patients who have had surgery at LSI Scottsdale, welcome to our family! I hope we have helped you to get your life back and that you have rediscovered the things you missed and loved. Please feel free to share your experience by commenting on this post.
To say that I am proud of the LSI Scottsdale staff would be an understatement. Drs. Weiss, Flood Luke, and staff have exceeded my expectations regarding surgical outcomes, service, and compassion. If you are among the 1,000 patients who have had surgery at LSI Scottsdale, welcome to our family! I hope we have helped you to get your life back and that you have rediscovered the things you missed and loved. Please feel free to share your experience by commenting on this post.
The Laser Spine Institute provides minimally invasive procedures to combat spinal and nerve conditions, which often times cause neck and back pain.
