MDNews - Central New York

COVER FEATURE "The Heritage Commons building is situated in the central area of Syracuse so that we can cater to the entire population. We picked the Taft Road location because we wanted our center to be as accessible as possible for all patients in the region." — Frederick R. Lemley, M.D., fellowshiptrained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon at Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Collaborative Specialist Practices in One Building The collaboration between SOS and New York Spine & Wellness Center enables both groups to direct patients to the appropriate specialists, who can provide comprehensive care for neck and back pain using either surgical or nonsurgical treatment modalities. Michael Humphrey, CEO of SOS, notes that the nature of neck and back treatment is inherently collaborative, so the partnership between SOS and New York Spine & Wellness Center creates synergies that elevate the level of care each can provide. "We can send patients who are not surgical candidates to New York Spine & Wellness for more conservative treatments, such as pain blocks or epidurals," Humphrey says. Meanwhile, patients who are candidates for surgery can similarly benefit from those pain management protocols prior to surgery by SOS' specialists. The team at SOS provides all manner of treatment for neck and back conditions, including minimally invasive and traditional open procedures. With any neck or back condition, however, the reality is that there can be chronic symptoms that require pain management expertise, Dr. Wulff notes. For patients in persistent pain, SOS physicians collaborate with New York Spine & Wellness Center pain care specialists to construct the most appropriate treatment plan. Filtering Out Pain Signals When patients' pain has been unsuccessfully managed by multiple therapies over long periods of time and no surgical Richard J. DiStefano, M.D., examines a patient record. 12 | Central New York MD NEWS I MDNEWS.COM Patti Siedlicki (left), SOS Retail Shop Manager, shows a customer some merchandise. procedure will definitively correct the problem, Dr. Wulff and the specialists at New York Spine & Wellness Center collaborate to offer neuromodulation in the form of an implantable spinal cord stimulator. "A spinal cord stimulator interferes with the delivery of the electrical pain impulse," Dr. Wulff explains. "If the brain never receives that signal, patients won't feel the pain." Pain management specialists perform the first, nonsurgical step of the procedure to identify the area causing the most pain. Percutaneously, a specialist threads a wire to the spinal area. Patients are awake throughout the procedure, so they can confirm whether the temporary stimulator allays their pain. Once providers have found the ideal location upon which the spinal cord stimulator should be placed and have taken an X-ray of the area, the patient goes to SOS for the surgical implantation. Surgeons implant leads, or small electrodes, in contact with the exact location where the pain is centered and connect the leads to a battery-powered generator. The generator is usually implanted in the patient's buttocks or abdominal area, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Foot and Ankle Expertise SOS' Heritage Commons location will also enhance the Syracuse area's previously limited access to orthopedic expertise in foot and ankle treatment, says Frederick R. Lemley, M.D., fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon at SOS. "We're creating the best place in Central New York for the care of foot and ankle problems," Dr. Lemley notes. "The Foot and Ankle Center in the Heritage Commons building will help us achieve that goal. We're putting together a skilled team of providers, and we've designed the center around the patient to make delivery of care as efficient and beneficial as possible." In conjunction with a growing team of specialized foot and ankle care providers, Dr. Lemley offers surgical and nonsurgical care for the full spectrum of conditions. Among the leading-edge treatments is ankle replacement for ankle arthritis. Additionally, a full complement of traditional treatments addresses common conditions such as flat feet, arthritis, deformity, tendonitis, Achilles tendon problems, bunions, hammer toes and fractures. Dr. Lemley emphasizes that the Heritage Commons location was

• Cover