Since the spinal column was intended to be mobile, avoiding spinal fusion surgery if at all possible has been a major focus of Dr Johnson throughout his career. His understanding and teaching of the biomechanics and understanding the sources of “pain generators” in the spinal column is a key to making the correct decision and have successful outcomes without fusion whenever possible. Many microsurgical minimally invasive techniques that preserve spinal motion in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine are utilized on a daily basis in treating nerve and disc problems.
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- Illustrations of minimally Invasive Anterior Cervical “Foraminotomy” for nerve compression published in the journal “Spine” and the Journal of Neurosurgery” of one type of nerve decompression (ie foraminotomy) procedure
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- Use of tubular retractor for lumbar and cervical disc herniation problems has made this non-fusion procedure a procedure that is regularly performed on an outpatient basis
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- Microsurgical decompression of a cervical nerve root that can be done from the anterior or posterior approach
Textbook:
Yue J, Guyer D, Johnson JP, Khoo LT, Hochschuler ST: The Comprehensive Treatment of the Aging Spine Minimally Invasive and Advanced Techniques. Elsevier Publishing
Philadelphia, PA 2010.
Publications:
Oskouian RJ, Johnson JP: Endoscopic thoracic microdiscectomy. Neurosurg Focus18(3):E11, 1-8, March 2005.
Johnson JP: Anterior cervical foraminotomy approach. Journal of Neurosurgery
85(3):525-526, 1996.
Johnson JP, Filler AG, McBride DQ, Batzdorf U: Anterior cervical foraminotomy for unilateral radicular disease. Spine 25 (8):905-909, April 2000.