Understand your options. Prepare for your care.
Patient education
Clear explanations of brain, spine, and facial nerve procedures, with practical guides for recovery and conversations with your surgical team.
Considering treatment? Start with a treatment-choice or procedure guide. Preparing to go home? Choose the recovery guide for your operation and keep your own discharge instructions nearby.
For urgent postoperative questions, contact your surgical team using your discharge instructions. For a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Appointments and clinic information →Spine
Spine Treatment Options Before Surgery
Compare nonsurgical spine care, medication and injection decisions, reasons surgery may be considered, and symptoms that need urgent assessment.
Read the guide ProcedureAnterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
Understand ACDF neck surgery, why it may be considered, alternatives, possible benefits and risks, and the steps involved in preparation and recovery.
Read the guide ProcedureAnterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF): Surgery Through the Abdomen
Understand ALIF, a lumbar fusion performed through the abdomen, including why the approach is chosen, its distinctive risks, and recovery planning.
Read the guide ProcedureLumbar Discectomy: Surgery for a Herniated Disc
Understand lumbar discectomy for a herniated disc, including realistic goals, alternatives, recurrence risk, preparation, and recovery considerations.
Read the guide ProcedureLumbar Laminectomy: Making More Room for Lower Back Nerves
Learn why lumbar laminectomy may be considered for spinal stenosis, what surgery involves, its risks and alternatives, and how to prepare for recovery.
Read the guide ProcedureLumbar Spinal Fusion: Goals, Choices, and Recovery Planning
Learn how lumbar fusion stabilizes the lower back, why it may be recommended, alternatives, bone-healing risks, and questions to discuss before surgery.
Read the guide ProcedureLateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF or XLIF): Fusion Through the Side
Understand fusion through a small incision on the side, who may benefit, temporary thigh and hip symptoms, and how it is combined with other techniques.
Read the guide ProcedurePosterior Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion
Learn why decompression and fusion through the back of the neck may be recommended, including alternatives, important risks, preparation, and recovery.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF)
Practical ACDF recovery guidance on swallowing, incision care, medication, movement, follow-up, and symptoms requiring emergency or same-day help.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Lumbar Fusion, Including ALIF
Practical recovery guidance after lumbar fusion and ALIF: emergency symptoms, abdominal and back incision care, medicines, walking, and follow-up.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Lumbar Laminectomy or Discectomy
A practical guide to recovery after lumbar decompression or discectomy, with urgent symptoms, wound care, medication planning, activity, and follow-up.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Posterior Cervical Laminectomy and Fusion
A practical recovery guide for posterior neck fusion, including incision and collar care, movement, medicines, new weakness, and when to seek help.
Read the guideBrain and skull base
Meningioma: Observation, Surgery, and Radiation
Learn when watching with MRI is reasonable, when surgery or radiation is advised, and what long-term follow-up involves.
Read the guide ProcedureCraniotomy for Brain Tumor Surgery
Learn how craniotomy provides access to a brain tumor, why biopsy or removal is considered, and what to discuss about risks, recovery and next treatment.
Read the guide ProcedureAwake Craniotomy: Brain Mapping During Tumor Surgery
Learn why brain mapping while awake may be recommended for tumors near speech or movement areas, what you will experience, and recovery.
Read the guide ProcedureEndoscopic Surgery for Colloid Cysts and Ventricular Tumors
Understand endoscopic surgery inside the brain's fluid spaces for colloid cysts and ventricular tumors, alternatives, risks, and recovery.
Read the guide ProcedureEndoscopic Pituitary Tumor Surgery
Learn why pituitary surgery through the nose may be considered, its limits and risks, and the hormone and sodium monitoring needed during recovery.
Read the guide ProcedureEndoscopic Skull Base Tumor Surgery
Understand surgery through the nose for selected skull base tumors, including approach choices, reconstruction, risks and recovery planning.
Read the guide ProcedurePosterior Fossa Brain Tumor Surgery
Understand surgery for tumors near the cerebellum and brainstem, including balance, swallowing, fluid-pressure risks and recovery planning.
Read the guide ProcedureSupratentorial Brain Tumor Surgery
Learn about surgery for tumors in the upper part of the brain, with attention to language, movement, thinking, mapping and postoperative rehabilitation.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Craniotomy
A practical guide to recovery after brain surgery, including emergency symptoms, incision care, medicines, activity, rehabilitation and caregiver planning.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Endoscopic Endonasal Surgery
Plan recovery after surgery through the nose, with guidance on urgent symptoms, nasal healing, pituitary monitoring, medicines and follow-up.
Read the guideFacial pain and spasm
Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm
Learn how microvascular decompression may treat hemifacial spasm, including diagnosis, alternatives, realistic goals, hearing and facial risks, and recovery.
Read the guide ProcedureTrigeminal Neuralgia: Microvascular Decompression and Balloon Compression
Compare microvascular decompression and balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia, including who may benefit, key tradeoffs, risks, and recovery.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm
Understand recovery after MVD for hemifacial spasm, including residual twitching, facial weakness, eye care, incision care, medicines, and when to seek help.
Read the guide RecoveryRecovery After Trigeminal Neuralgia Procedures: MVD and Balloon Compression
Recovery guidance after trigeminal neuralgia MVD or balloon compression: medication planning, wound care, numbness and eye protection, and urgent symptoms.
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