Your initial consultation will be a personalized evaluation consisting of a one-on-one meeting with Dr. Chiles. Your general medical history will be taken, as well as the specific history relevant to your neurologic/orthopedic issues. You will undergo a targeted physical examination, with emphasis on the neurologic/orthopedic aspects pertinent to your situation. Lastly, your diagnostic tests, especially spinal radiologic imaging studies such as CT’s or MRI’s, will be reviewed together with you in detail. The primary goal of all this is to optimally define your situation and treatment options, particularly with reference to the potential role of surgical treatment. Lastly, at the time of your initial visit, the staff will take all your pertinent demographic and insurance information, and answer any questions you might have concerning the financial aspects of your visit and/or any potential surgery.
1 | Further diagnostic testing is needed and is ordered.
2 | There is not felt to be any role for surgery.
3 | Surgery is felt to be a potential treatment option down the line if the symptoms persist at an unacceptable level and prove unresponsive to all reasonable attempts at nonsurgical treatment.
4 | Surgery is felt to be a good option at present.
If surgery is felt to be a good option, then a detailed discussion of the nature, risks, and benefits of surgery will take place. In just about all cases, surgery is considered a “last option”, to be considered only when nonsurgical management has clearly failed.