3/21/2024 0 Comments Dorsal column stimulator implant![]() "Kelly responded fairly well to some, but we knew there was more we needed to do to improve her pain and function to an extent that it would truly change her life for the better." "These types of minimally invasive procedures-radiofrequency ablation and fluoroscopically-guided injections-they can work quite well for some patients," said McCormick. "There are highly skilled spine specialists across the U of U Health campus and having different points of view can help bring additional pearls of wisdom and insight to the table when we are formulating a care plan."īefore the spinal cord stimulator placement, McCormick treated Carnahan with a variety of different minimally invasive techniques that do not require an incision. "A lot of it had to do with connecting her to the right specialists," said McCormick. It is not uncommon, as with Kelly, that it can take some time to unpeel the layers of everything contributing to a given patients' symptoms."Ĭarnahan worked a lot with McCormick on diagnosing the underlying issues causing her so much pain, and how to best treat those issues. "You're dealing with an intermingling of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. "The spine is complex-the anatomy is complex," said McCormick. "There's a lot more access and help for patients like Kelly and others who are struggling with their spine health."Ĭarnahan struggled with chronic pain for quite a long time before she started seeing McCormick. "We are able to take care of a lot more patients than we were just a few years ago," said McCormick. Now, there are eight PM&R faculty members who focus their efforts on spine care, along with a similarly sized group of physician assistants and nurse practitioners, working together as a very cohesive team both clinically and on research and educational efforts. When McCormick joined U of U Health five years ago, there were few PM&R faculty members solely focused on spine care, along with one physician assistant. Instead of saying 'you have chronic pain, deal with it' he does everything he can to find answers and come up with ideas of how he can treat my spine issues." McCormick for multiple years now," said Carnahan. McCormick, MD, a board-certified specialist in both pain medicine and physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R), takes care of her spine issues. "I am game to do just about anything at this point," said Carnahan.Ĭarnahan's most successful procedure might be her most recent: spinal cord stimulation.Īlthough Carnahan has worked with various providers across University of Utah Health, Zachary L. Over the past three years, Carnahan has had treatments on all but five of her vertebrae. She has multilevel disk degeneration in her thoracic spine as well as severe bilateral facet arthropathy, neuroforaminal stenosis, and multilevel disk degeneration through her lumbar spine. This lengthy list of treatments includes multiple cervical spine fusions, cortisone injections, radiofrequency ablations, trigger point injections, dry-needling, physical therapy, and Botox injections.Ĭarnahan's neck is fused from C4 to T1. "I have a spreadsheet of all the things I've had done to try to get rid of my pain," said Carnahan. Kelly Carnahan is no stranger to medical procedures.įor the past three years, 52-old Kelly Carnahan has been dealing with chronic back pain and has tried just about everything to get relief from her pain.
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