Dr. Hiro K | Fusion or stimulator? A spine surgeon who does both

Chronic back pain
Pain that won’tlet go?And someone has mentioned surgery.
Option one
Fusion ispermanent.Sometimes it’s the right call. But it can’t be undone, and the level above can wear out over the years.
Option two
A stimulatorcan be tried first.About a week, before anything is implanted. If it doesn’t help, it comes out, and every other door stays open.
Dr. Hiro K
A spine surgeonwho does both.Straight talk on fusion, spinal cord stimulation and chronic back pain. With the sources for every claim.
Watch on YouTubeVideos & sources

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Two very different decisions

Spinal fusion

Buying a car without a test drive

Joins two or more vertebrae for good
You learn whether it helped after the surgery
The right call when a clear structural problem needs fixing

Spinal cord stimulation

The test drive comes first

A trial of about a week, before any implant
Nothing is cut or fused in the spine
Doesn’t work for everyone, and you find that out early

I do both operations. Which one fits depends on you, and that is what the videos are about.

Latest videos

01Why a spine surgeon started offering spinal cord stimulationComing soon

Every number has a source. Each study is checked against PubMed and linked, so you can read it yourself.

Ties declared up front. I consult for device makers. You should know that before you weigh anything I say.

Who it’s not for, too. Every option gets its limits and risks, not only its upside.

About

Hiro Katoh, MD, PhD

Spine surgeon and professor at a medical school in Japan. For twenty years I trusted the scalpel. Following my patients for more than a decade changed how I treat back pain.

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