Talking Artificial Disc and Facet Replacement Surgery with Dr. Vince Rossi Back Talk Doc

As non-urgent medical procedures slowed during the height of COVID in 2020, some docs faced a lot of stress. Vince Rossi, MD, took advantage of his more-open schedule to get an MBA. 
So, why did Dr. Rossi want to pursue another degree after becoming a successful neurosurgeon? He wanted to better understand the health care system in which he works, believing that knowing the business world would benefit both his patients and his practice. That desire to benefit his patients led him to do a year of his residency in Australia. He was able to see a higher volume of arthroplasty procedures in a shorter period of time. 
On this episode of Back Talk Doc, Dr. Sanjiv Lakhia and his guest, Dr. Vince Rossi, talk about artificial disc and facet replacement surgery. Dr. Rossi is a minimally invasive spine surgeon at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA). 
Dr. Rossi’s entire philosophy surrounds improving the lives of his patients — from understanding the business and back end of things to ensuring each one of his patients has explored all conservative treatments before even considering spine surgery. 
“If there's a reasonable option for any sort of interventional procedure or injections, then those are all the first first line treatment for that patient,” explains Dr. Rossi. “For me, the younger the patient is, the longer I make them wait before we talk about arthroplasty. Even if they've done six months of conservative treatments and they're a young, mid-20s-year-old, I want them to give their body as much chance as possible to heal that on its own.”
Tune into this episode of Back Talk Doc to hear Dr. Rossi discuss arthroplasty, his typical route for diagnosis, and what he would tell any potential patient about the pros and cons of this newer intervention. 
💡 Featured Expert 💡Name: Vince Rossi, MD, MBA
What he does: Dr. Rossi is a neurosurgeon practicing minimally invasive spine surgery at Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA). He believes in using the least invasive methods to help patients reclaim their pain-free lives. Dr. Rossi focuses on motion preservation, specializing in non-fusion techniques such as endoscopic spine surgery and disc replacement.
Company: Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA)
Words of wisdom: “When patients come to CNSA and get motion preservation options there, they're not just getting someone that knows how to implant these devices, they're getting an organization that really has [made] this technology available locally, nationally, and internationally.”
Connect: LinkedIn
⚓ Anchor Points ⚓Top takeaways from this Back Talk Doc episode 
Conservative treatments are still the first option. While artificial disc and facet replacement surgery is changing lives for recipient patients, following conservative routes of treatment — spine injections, physical therapy, etc. — are still the first path for patients experiencing lumbar pain. Prevention is the best treatment. Dr. Rossi emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy spine. Practicing good behaviors in everyday life, such as when picking something up or doing core-strengthening exercises, will do more to protect the spine than anything else. Prevent and maintain before treatment is even necessary. Get curious. Curious about how to better help and improve the lives of his patients, Dr. Rossi determined that understanding the business and back end of the healthcare system would be beneficial. He pursued an MBA when surgeries slowed...