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University of Wisconsin Spine Center

Overview
Programs
Spinal Surgery
Spinal Rehabilitation
Spine Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy/Return to Work
Imaging Center
Fitness Center
Spine Center Physicians
Spine Center Facilities
To Make an Appointment

Overview

The University of Wisconsin Spine Center began as a concept in 1989. Dr. Thomas A. Zdeblick and Dr. James Leonard initiated the program to develop a comprehensive center for the care of spinal diseases. The goal of the program was to care for any and all of the conditions which affect the spine, to do so in a multidisciplinary fashion, and to manage all patients from the simplest to the most complex. The program has grown steadily over the past 10 years and now averages 10,000-12,000 clinic visits per year.

All of the programs related to the Spine Center are located in one building. This allows patients to be evaluated and managed in an outpatient setting in an all-inclusive environment. The personnel of the Spine Center have now grown to include physicians in Rehabilitation Medicine, Orthopedic Spine Surgery, Neurosurgery, and Invasive Radiology.

The UW Spine Center has gained national recognition for both its clinical and research programs. Physicians at the Spine Center were the first in the world to perform laparoscopic instrumented spinal fusions, and have been pioneers in the use of innovative techniques for the treatment of spinal tumors, spinal deformities, and spinal trauma.

Programs

Spinal Surgery

Patients are evaluated for spinal surgery in an outpatient setting at the UW Spine Center. Three full-time orthopedic spine surgeons and two full-time neurosurgical spine surgeons staff the Spine Center clinic. Approximately 500 major spinal operations are performed each year by the surgeons at the UW Spine Center. Spinal procedures performed include microdiscectomy, anterior and posterior lumbar fusion, minimally invasive spinal fusion, spinal deformity instrumentation, thoracoscopic spinal canal decompression, cervical spine anterior and posterior fusion, stabilization of spinal trauma, and decompression and stabilization of spinal tumors and X-Stop.

Spinal Rehabilitation

Physicians trained in rehabilitation medicine staff the UW Spine Center. These physicians are trained in the nonsurgical management of spinal problems. This includes evaluation and treatment of a variety of conditions including low back pain, acute back and neck injuries, disc herniation, and spinal arthritis. Management techniques include active physiotherapy, bracing, injection, manipulation, medical management, and surgical referral.

The rehabilitation medicine physicians at the UW Spine Center also assist in the management of chronic neck and back conditions and the management of chronic pain. The Return to Work program is organized through the rehabilitation medicine physicians and now includes occupational medicine evaluations and rehabilitation as well.

Spine Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is carried out at the UW Spine Center. Dedicated physical therapists exclusively manage patients with musculoskeletal spinal problems. These include cervical, thoracic, and lumbar disc pathology, degenerative conditions, and muscular impairments. A wide range of modalities is available, including McKenzie extension exercises, stabilization programs, soft tissue and joint mobilization and manipulation, aerobic conditioning, back care classes, and aquatic therapy. Patients are evaluated and treated by therapists either on site in an ongoing fashion or they are referred to one of the other UWHC Rehab sites in Madison . Patients who live outside of Madison may also be referred for non-local therapy. Functional capacity evaluations are performed through the Spine Physical Therapy Clinic.

Imaging Center

The Spine Center includes three radiologic suites, one CT scanner, and an MRI suite. Full-time musculoskeletal radiologists staff the UW Spine Center Imaging Center. On-site MRI scanning and interpretation is performed. In addition, invasive techniques including facet injection, root injection, myelography, epidural steroid injection, and discography are performed at the Imaging Center.

Fitness Center

As part of the Spine Center building, a free-standing fitness center is included. This allows patients to perform non-impact and impact aerobic conditioning in a swimming pool, on bicycles, stair climbers, treadmills, or a variety of weight-lifting equipment.

Spine Center Physicians

Thomas A. Zdeblick, MD, Director

Dr. Zdeblick is Chairman of the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation as well as a professor. He has been a faculty member since 1989. His clinical interests include cervical spine deformity, spinal tumor surgery, anterior thoracolumbar spinal fixation, interbody fusion cages, and laparoscopic spinal fusion surgery.

James Leonard, DO, Co-Director

Dr. Leonard is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. He has been a faculty member since 1989. Dr. Leonard's clinical interests include occupational spinal disorders, workplace injuries, and integrated spinal rehabilitation.

Paul Anderson, MD

Dr. Anderson is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. He has been a faculty member since 2002. His interests include spinal fixation implants and the development of an artificial cervical disc.

Sara Christensen, MD

Dr Christensen is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. Her clinical interests include management of various musculoskeletal disorders, pain management, cancer rehabilitation, and electrodiagnostic medicine. She focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to treatment with functional restoration as a major goal.

David C. Mann, MD

Dr. Mann is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. He has been a faculty member since 1988. His clinical interests include adolescent scoliosis.

Daniel K. Resnick, MD

Dr. Resnick is an associate professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery. He joined the staff of the Spine Center in 1998 and has clinical interests in the neurosurgical aspects of spinal disorders.

Clifford B. Tribus, MD

Dr. Tribus is an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. He has been a faculty member since 1993. Dr. Tribus's practice is limited to the surgical practice of spinal disorders. His clinical interests include spinal deformity, adult scoliosis, spinal trauma, and interbody fusion cages and X-Stop.

Gregory R. Trost, MD

Dr. Trost is an associate professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery. Dr. Trost has been on staff since 1996 and has limited his practice to the treatment of spinal disorders. Clinical interests include spinal stereotactic surgery, spinal trauma, and degenerative spinal disorders.

Spine Center Facilities

Spine CenterThe UW Spine Center is located in a 77,000-square-foot building at the University of Wisconsin Clinics-Research Park. The building also houses the University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Center . Central to the building is a fitness center that includes a walking track, weight room, aerobics conditioning room, and two swimming pools including both a lap pool and a warm water therapy pool. The warm water therapy pool is geared towards patients both ambulatory and non-ambulatory to suit the needs of all patients undergoing spinal rehabilitation. (Photo: J&J images)

Located within the UW Clinics-Research Park are three radiographic x-ray suites as well as three MRI scanners, including an open MRI and 3T and a CT scanner. The UW Musculoskeletal Center radiologists perform on-site interpretation of scans. The Spine Center also has a full-time nursing staff, which includes a head nurse, a spinal nurse practitioner and a physician assistant.

To Make an Appointment

The UW Spine Center is located at:

University of Wisconsin Clinics-Research Park
621 Science Drive
Madison, WI 53711
Appointments: (608) 265-3207 or (800) 323-8942

If you are scheduling for a specific physician, please mention that when calling. We do pre-screen for all surgical appointments.

Evaluations at the UW Spine Physical Therapy Center require an appointment made by calling (608) 265-3341.

Membership information for the UW Clinic-Research Park Fitness Center can be obtained by calling (608) 265-8303.



 

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Administration - University of Wisconsin Department of Orthopedics & Rehabilitation
First published: 07/15/02 Last updated: 07/04/08 webmaster@surgery.wisc.edu
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