Too Old For Spine Surgery?

There’s a widespread belief that once you reach a certain age, you're no longer a candidate for back surgery. Some surgeons are hesitant to operate on octogenarians or nonagenarians. In this episode, Dr. Michaux Kilpatrick, a neurosurgeon at Novant Health, explains why age is indeed “just a number,” and not the best determinate for surgery. Unlike your grandfather’s spine surgery, Kilpatrick shares that most of her spine cases today are performed with a minimally invasive approach. This leads to better outcomes and a quicker recovery for her patients. She also shares the most common questions she receives in clinic and what characteristics you should look for in a surgeon.