Monday, February 25, 2008

Spine Team Texas opens sister facility in Rockwall

By Minnie Payne

ROCKWALL — As of Feb. 26, Spine Team Texas, a premier facility for back and neck pain treatment, will open in Rockwall, temporarily located at 1201 Arista until a permanent location, adjacent to Presbyterian Hospital of Rockwall, is complete in early 2009.

“When the permanent Rockwall facility opens in 2009, it will provide full access and care from Spine Team’s spine-specialized neurosurgeons, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians and spine-focused physical therapists,” said Dr. David Rothbart, medical director and neurosurgeon at Spine Team Texas. “We are fulfilling a patient need for quality spine care.”

Rothbart said that because the parent facility in Southlake has been so successful in offering a full spectrum of spine services in one location, Spine Team Texas is excited to bring that same kind of patient-focused, comprehensive spine care to Rockwell.

Beginning in August, Dr. Michael Musacchio and Dr. Richard McPherson will join Spine Team Texas as the primary neurosurgeon and primary physiatrist, respectively, in Rockwall. The Rockwall office, like the other Spine Team Texas locations in Southlake, Bedford and Las Colinas, will focus on non-surgical treatments, resorting to minimally invasive surgery only as a last resort.

The practice of conservatism was evidenced through a 3 percent decrease in surgery in 2007, said Rothbart, despite a 25 percent increase in overall patient visits.

Jon-David Wells, a patient from Keller, was injured in an automobile accident in June 2007 and said that because of a bad experience with a previous surgery, he was more careful in choosing a back facility and doctor the second time around.

“I had heard about Spine Team Texas from several people and thought I would give them a try,” said Wells. “My healing started when I walked in the door.”

He said that the staff was very professional and he didn’t have to wait for them to start taking his history.

“Immediately after my history was taken, I saw Dr. Rothbart who suggested that we take things very slowly,” he said. “I started out with physical therapy, but it became apparent that a surgical procedure was going to have to be performed.”

The surgery was performed at Harris Southlake Hospital and the staff was magnificent, he said.

“Dr. Rothbart was extremely positive before surgery and told me that I could expect a 95 percent success rate which wiped away a lot of apprehension,” Wells said. “I’m a radio personality and the possibility existed that during surgery my voice could be damaged, so I was looking at my career.

“Dr. Rothbart took extra steps and was extremely careful; I can’t recommend these people enough.”

My first surgery 13 years ago was a train wreck compared to the Spine Team Texas surgery, he said.

“Even though I’m much older this time around, I feel much better in that I have more mobility, strength and reflexes,” he said. “Dr. Rothbart removed some scar tissue from the first surgery which has made an unbelievable difference in my life.

“I’m currently engaged in physical therapy and that is going unusually well.”

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