Neurosurgery

When it looks like surgery is the best option for addressing spinal pain and dysfunction, it’s reassuring to know a team of neurosurgery, pain management, chiropractic, and physical therapy specialists are working together to come up with the best treatment plan for you.

Dr. Robert Kowalski’s neurosurgery practice encompasses years of experience as well as some of the most robust and prestigious training the discipline has to offer. His background in mechanical engineering ─ including five years in the U.S. Navy’s Civil engineering Corps followed by extensive research on spinal biomechanics ─ makes him uniquely qualified to work with personal injury patients, and assess and treat injuries resulting from motor vehicle collisions. 

In addition to completing a residency in neurological surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and a fellowship in complex spinal surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Spine Institute, he served in the US Air Force for four years as the sole neurosurgeon in Afghanistan. Dr. Kowalski is certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers International in Vehicle Crash Reconstruction Methods; Injuries, Anatomy, Biomechanics & Federal Regulation; and Vehicle Dynamics for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks. 

To schedule a consultation, please call one of our Florida locations: 

Brandon: (813) 381-3852
St. Petersburg: (727) 898-3852

An Integrated Approach to Neuro-Spinal Treatment

The Tampa Bay Spine & Sport team meets weekly to discuss the best possible scenarios and treatment options for each patient. Our neurosurgeon, Dr. Kowalski, works particularly closely with Dr. Christopher Schrock, a double board-certified interventional pain physician and anesthesiologist, who can administer diagnostic nerve blocks to rule out areas that don’t respond and help locate the true source of pain.

Our close collaboration allows us to progress through the entire spectrum of conservative clinical pathways (including injections, chiropractic care and physical therapy) quickly and efficiently. When surgery makes sense, we are prepared to act quickly before an injury becomes chronic and more difficult to treat.  

Neuro Spine Focus 

The Tampa Bay Spine & Sport group is unique in that we study the whole body, but focus on neuromuscular disorders and orthopedic injuries that produce neck pain, mid and lower back pain, headaches, and radicular leg pain that originates in the spine. 

We provide a comprehensive range of surgical and non-surgical treatments that:

• Alleviate pain
• Improve mobility
• Regain range of motion
• Increase strength 
• Allow people to lead more independent lives

Surgical Procedures 

Acute injuries often call for surgical remedies. Here are some of the most common surgical procedures we do:

• Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) – This procedure, approached from the anterior, or front, of the cervical spine, removes a damaged disc in the neck that is causing spinal cord or nerve damage with pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling. The bones that were surrounding that disc are then fused together to provide strength and stability. 
• Posterior Lumbar Fusion – This fusion surgically welds two bones in the lower back together to improve stability, correct a deformity, mend a fracture, or reduce pain. 
• Microdiscectomy – A microdiscectomy, typically used to treat a herniated disc, is a minimally invasive procedure that relieves the pressure on a spinal nerve root by removing the material causing the pain instead of the whole disc. 
• Endoscopic Rhizotomy – Using an endoscope, a surgeon can visualize the nerve branches that connect pain signals from your back muscles to your brain and turn off the nerves with accurately placed electrical currents. This “least-invasive” outpatient procedure, which provides significant long-term back and neck pain relief, may be used to treat patients with chronic back pain or muscle spasms.
• Artificial Disc Replacement Revisions – Artificial disc replacements may sometimes not perform well in post-traumatic injury situations. When cervical disc replacement surgery fails, a skilled surgeon can remove the disc and fuse the spine to provide stability and prevent further damage.

Patient Evaluation and Diagnosis

The Tampa Bay Spine & Sport team conducts a thorough evaluation with each patient to get to the root cause of pain and dysfunction and determine the best course of action. Before we operate, we want to make sure we are addressing the actual pain generator with the correct treatment. 

• Patient History – This includes a thorough physical examination to address the present illness or condition and questions to assess the effectiveness of prior treatments. 
• Diagnostic Tests – MRIs, X-rays, and other diagnostic tests may reveal issues not related to the current source of pain and mislead a diagnosis. While MRIs are valuable, they are only one piece of the diagnostic decision-making process.
• Injections – In addition to relieving pain and inflammation, an injection can be a valuable pre-surgical diagnostic tool for ruling out areas that don’t respond and redirecting treatment. 

Surgical Commitment 

Dr. Kowalski takes the time to explain all aspects of a patient’s condition, treatment, and future expectations. We are all invested in the outcome, and will follow up frequently as a patient progresses. 

Most of our surgeries are done in ambulatory settings to avoid hospital stays. Injections, and other minimally invasive procedures, are performed in the office. 

Our comprehensive, in-house postoperative rehabilitation program includes physical therapy, pain management, and other integrated treatment options.