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I published Lung-Specific Risk Factors for Bone Fractures Identified on Medium.
I published Treatment for Scoliosis at Various Stages on Medium.
 An experienced spinal surgeon who has been practicing for nearly 15 years, Constantine Toumbis, MD, is a partner at Citrus Spine Institute in Crystal River, Florida. In addition to his work at his practice, Dr. Constantine Toumbis networks with his peers and continues his professional education through membership in professional organizations such as the North American Spine Society (NASS), which periodically publishes research related to spinal health.
There are still 38 million Americans who regularly smoke, and NASS experts say that’s a problem when it comes to spinal health. Doctors regularly report that patients presenting with back pain often smoke either regular or electronic cigarettes. Research has shown that smoking elevates the risk of a person developing back pain, due to the effects of nicotine and its propensity to prevent blood flow to the spinal discs, which can lead to them breaking down. That’s why it’s very important that smokers who are experiencing back pain quickly begin efforts to quit the habit. Not only does smoking cause back pain, it can also hamper the efforts of surgeons to treat it. Many surgeons will not perform spinal surgery on patients who smoke, because regular nicotine use negatively impacts the body’s healing processes.  An accomplished spinal surgeon and two-time U.S. News and World Report Top Doctor, Constantine Toumbis, MD, has delivered orthopedic care as a practicing physician at Citrus Spine Institute in Crystal River, Florida, since 2015. A member of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, Dr. Constantine Toumbis specializes in treating spinal conditions such as scoliosis.
While scoliosis is often diagnosed in children and adolescents, it is also possible to develop a scoliotic curve later in life. Spinal curves can be the result of weak or paralyzed muscles or a degenerative condition. Adult scoliosis often causes pain and physical deformities. In extreme cases, patients may experience difficulty walking or breathing. However, these types of complications are rare. For mild cases, patients are often treated with noninvasive methods to manage pain and improve posture. Doctors may recommend physical therapy, analgesics, or exercise. Rarely, patients may need to undergo surgical procedures such as spinal fusion or decompression. Surgery is usually recommended for patients whose condition has worsened over time or is not responsive to noninvasive treatments. At his practice in Crystal River, Florida, spine surgeon Constantine Toumbis, MD, cares for patients with health problems that impact the spine. To address compression fractures, Constantine Toumbis, MD, performs the kyphoplasty procedure.
When people have osteoporosis, the bones can become so compromised that they collapse under pressure. In osteoporosis of the spine, the vertebral body itself thins out and crumbles. The fractured bone can no longer provide protection to the nerves that reside in and around the spinal column. These spinal compression fractures can cause a great deal of pain. Nonsurgical treatments for spinal fractures include pain management drugs and braces to allow the bone to heal, which can take roughly three months. Candidates for surgery include those who exhibit spinal instability, those with fractures that cause spinal cord pressure, and those who do not have symptom relief from nonsurgical measures. Some patients may benefit from kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive option often performed under local anesthetic. In this procedure, the physician uses a thin instrument that contains a special balloon. The instrument is inserted into the back at the location of the fracture, and then air is pushed into the balloon so that it opens a space in the bone. Into the space, the surgeon injects a mixture that buttresses the bone to prevent further collapse. Usually, kyphoplasty takes less than 60 minutes and requires no stitches.  Dr. Constantine Toumbis, a fellowship-trained spine surgeon, treats patients at Citrus Spine Institute in Crystal River, Florida. He earned his MD with distinction in biomedical research from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. At Citrus Spine Institute, Dr. Constantine Toumbis performs a variety of surgeries, including spinal fusion.
The spinal fusion procedure aims to join two or more vertebrae together permanently in order to prevent them from moving against one another. The procedure mimics the natural bone healing process, achieving fusion through the strategic placement of bone tissue or a similar synthetic substance between the vertebrae. During the procedure, surgeons may also implant rods and screws to keep the vertebrae in place as they heal together. Spinal fusion is used to treat problems like spinal deformities, as in the case of scoliosis, or structural issues like herniated disks or spinal instability. The procedure can also address chronic back pain. Oftentimes, spinal fusion follows a regimen of less invasive, more conservative treatment options that fail to address the underlying problems.  A spine surgeon caring for patients in and around Crystal River, Florida, Constantine Toumbis, MD, performs spinal procedures at Citrus Spine Institute. To train for his career, Dr. Constantine Toumbis completed a fellowship in spine surgery at Cleveland Clinic Florida.
As part of the central nervous system, the spine partners with the brain in acting as the communication hub of the human body. The spinal cord begins at the bottom of the brain stem, in the area referred to as the medulla oblongata, and ends at the conus medullaris in the lower back. Signals from the brain travel down the spinal cord and spread to their destination in the body via the peripheral nervous system. Signals also travel from the peripheral nervous system to the spinal cord, and from there to the brain. The spinal cord itself is roughly a foot-and-a-half long and is contained within the spinal column, which is composed of 33 bones, called vertebrae, stacked on top of one another. The spinal column is subdivided into five regions. The 24 vertebrae of the cervical, lumbar, and thoracic regions are movable, while the nine vertebrae of the coccyx and sacrum regions are not. Though the spinal column protects and supports the spinal cord, serious injuries can nonetheless occur. Damage to the spinal cord can, for example, frustrate or block communication from the brain to the extremities, and vice versa. It manifests as the inability to feel or to move the arms, legs, trunk, or all of these, depending on the precise location of the spinal cord damage. |
AuthorA surgeon focusing on spinal care, Dr. Constantine Toumbis treats patients at Citrus Spine Institute. Archives
November 2021
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