Ossification

At The Bonati Institute, we offer gentle, surgical treatments for your ossification complications. Ossification, or calcification, is the process where connective tissue thickens and hardens into fibrous or bony structures. Sometimes, bone spurs form. When the spine ossifies, it often happens to the ligamentum flavus, the ligament that runs down the back of your spine.

Ossification of the ligamentum flavus is a contributing factor to spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the spinal canal, which can put pressure on your nerve roots. If you have back pain or numbness or weakness in your extremities, your doctor will run tests to diagnose you. In some cases, surgery is required to correct nerve compression caused by ossification.

Tests to Diagnose Ossification

X-rays can detect ossification by showing the structure of the vertebrae and joints. MRIs can show enlargement or degeneration of the spinal structures. CT scans will show the spinal canal and its shape and size, and a myelogram, or contrast dye, can show whether you have pressure on your spinal nerves from a herniated disc, a tumor, or bone spurs.

If you need to have spinal surgery, The Bonati Institute performs minimally invasive, endoscopic procedures that are much less traumatic to your body than traditional surgery. Our founder, Dr. Alfred Bonati, originated this type of surgery and is one of the few surgeons in the world who can perform it. No hospital stay is required, which reduces your overall costs and helps your emotional well being. In addition, recovery times are shorter, because we usually don't have to dissect muscle or remove bone.