Dissection: A Spine Blog

Dissecting the latest in spine health and life at Dr. Katsuura’s Spine Clinic.

I try to share interesting and educational concepts in spine care and focus on the joy of medicine and surgery.

This blog is 100% human produced.

When Spine Surgery is Not the Answer
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

When Spine Surgery is Not the Answer

Discover the key differences between carpal tunnel syndrome and cervical radiculopathy as a Dr. Katsuura shares an insightful patient story. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options in this expert discussion

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Spinal Fusion Explained
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Spinal Fusion Explained

Dr. Katsuura is a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Main, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco explains one of the most common procedures in spinal surgery, the spinal fusion.

In this post and video Dr. Katsuura discusses the basic principles behind the spinal fusion, some common types of spinal fusions, the risks and finally the recovery process.

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Lumbar Fusion: Dreadful or Incredible?
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Lumbar Fusion: Dreadful or Incredible?

In this post I recount the story of a patient with a slipped disc in her back causing extreme pain. Learn how we restored her back to full mobility.

Dr. Katsuura, a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Marin, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco treats a wide range of back and neck conditions in his spinal clinic. He is an expert in minimally invasive, reconstructive and motion preserving procedures.

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Fixing a Crushed Vertebra in Under 10 Min
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Fixing a Crushed Vertebra in Under 10 Min

In this post I recount the story of a patient with a crushed vertebra in her back causing extreme pain. Learn how we restored her back to full mobility.

Dr. Katsuura, a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Marin, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco treats a wide range of back and neck conditions in his spinal clinic. He is an expert in minimally invasive, reconstructive and motion preserving procedures.

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Imagine Having a Marble Stuck in Your Back
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Imagine Having a Marble Stuck in Your Back

Dr. Katsuura, a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Marin, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco treats a wide range of back and neck conditions in his spinal clinic. He is an expert in minimally invasive, reconstructive and motion preserving procedures.

Here we recount the story of a patient with a marble sized disc herniation in her back causing extreme pain. Learn how we restored her back to full mobility.

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Fire Chief Conquers Cervical Stenosis
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Fire Chief Conquers Cervical Stenosis

In this post we learn about a Fire Chief who battled with a condition known as cervical stenosis that resulted in the loss of use of his arm.

Dr. Katsuura, a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Main, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco treats a wide range of back and neck conditions in his spinal clinic. He is an expert in minimally invasive, reconstructive and motion preserving procedures.

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“I Couldn’t Put on My Jewelry”
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

“I Couldn’t Put on My Jewelry”

In this post we learn about a condition known as cervical myelopathy which can result in devastating neurological consequences if left untreated.

Dr. Katsuura, a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Main, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco treats a wide range of back and neck conditions in his spinal clinic. He is an expert in minimally invasive, reconstructive and motion preserving procedures.

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Feeling 30 Again.
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Feeling 30 Again.

Dr. Katsuura, a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Marin, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco, discusses his approach using the microdiscectomy procedure for the treatment of lumbar disc herniations.

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Simple or Sinister?
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Simple or Sinister?

Dr. Katsuura is a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Main, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco explains common conditions that cause neck pain.

Does neck pain indicate normal muscular pain or something more sinister?

In this post and video Dr. Katsuura discusses some common ailments that affect the neck (cervical spine) and cause pain. Learn what symptoms to look out for and when you should seek medical attention.

We learn about the anatomy of the cervical spine and some of the ways things can go wrong.

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How Pain Works
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

How Pain Works

Pain is often frightening and difficult to deal with. Dr. Yoshihiro Katsuura, a spine expert, explains how pain works to the patients he treats for spinal disorders in Novato, Marin, San Francisco, Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino.

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Spine 101: Why Your Spine Matters
Yoshihiro Katsuura Yoshihiro Katsuura

Spine 101: Why Your Spine Matters

In this video Dr. Katsuura discusses some of the basics of back and neck pain and covers topics such as:

-Why your spine matters.
-What happens to your spine as you age.
-What are some of the common treatments for typical spinal issues.

Dr. Katsuura breaks down and demystifies some of the misconceptions in spinal treatment. Enjoy!

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