PATIENT EDUCATION

Dr. Darakchiev’s goal is to provide his patients with a complete understanding of their disease and to educate them about all viable treatment options, including surgery.

In addition to personally responding to his patients’ questions and concern, he  provides a library of informative, educational videos to help his patients better understand their conditions and the methods of treatment available.

PATIENT EDUCATION

Dr. Darakchiev’s goal is to provide his patients with a complete understanding of their disease and to educate them about all viable treatment options, including surgery.

In addition to personally responding to his patients’ questions and concern, he  provides a library of informative, educational videos to help his patients better understand their conditions and the methods of treatment available.

Brain Aneurysm

This condition is a bulge that forms in the wall of a weakened artery in the brain. This bulge can leak or rupture, causing a stroke. An aneurysm can be life-threatening.

Brain Tumor

This is a mass of abnormal cells. It may be inside your brain, or it may be next to your brain. It can grow and press harmfully against healthy brain tissue. This can cause a wide range of problems throughout your body. A brain tumor can severely impact your life.

Chronic Subdural Hematoma (Hemorrhage)

This condition is a buildup of clotted blood between the brain’s outer layer and the membrane that covers the brain (called the dura). It usually occurs in the elderly, and can be caused by even a minor bump to the head.

Metastatic Brain Tumor

This is a cancer that began elsewhere in your body and then spread to your brain, forming one or more tumors. Many different cancers can spread this way. These tumors are actually more common than tumors that begin in the brain’s own tissues.

Pituitary Tumor

Your pituitary gland is found just under your brain. This pea-sized gland makes hormones that affect many of your body’s functions. A pituitary tumor can cause it to release too much or too little of these hormones. This can cause serious problems.

Stroke

When blood flow to a part of your brain is stopped, you can have a stroke. Without oxygen and nutrients from the blood, brain cells die quickly. A stroke can damage your brain. It can even kill you.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

This is an injury that damages your brain. It results in brain dysfunction. It can severely impact your life.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Pain, numbness and tingling in your hand may be from carpal tunnel syndrome. It happens when the area around the main nerve to your hand is too tight. The nerve is called the median nerve. And the small space in your wrist where it passes is called the carpal tunnel.

Anatomy of the Spine

The spinal column is the body’s main support structure. Its thirty-three bones, called vertebrae, are divided into five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal.

Cervical Radiculopathy

This condition is an irritation or compression of one or more nerve roots in the cervical spine. Because these nerves travel to the shoulders, arms and hands, an injury in the cervical spine can cause symptoms in these areas. Cervical radiculopathy may result from a variety of problems with the bones and tissues of the cervical spinal column.

Compression Fractures of the Spine

This is a collapse of vertebral bone. It can affect one or more vertebrae. Compression fractures typically develop in your mid or lower back. This can change the shape of your spine.

Degenerative Disc Disease

This condition is a weakening of one or more vertebral discs, which normally act as a cushion between the vertebrae. This condition can develop as a natural part of the aging process, but it may also result from injury to the back.

Herniated Disc (Cervical)

This condition is a rupture of one of the vertebral discs in your neck. A herniated disc can allow disc material to press harmfully against the spinal nerves.

Herniated Discs

A herniated disc is a common injury that can affect any part of the spine. A herniated disc can cause severe pain and other problems in the arms or legs.

Metastatic Cancer of the Spine

This form of cancer develops in or near the spinal cord or within the vertebrae. It can spread through multiple levels of the spine. It can lead to a wide range of serious complications.

Scoliosis

This condition is an abnormal curvature of the spine. It most often develops in early childhood, just before a child reaches puberty.

Spinal Stenosis

The spinal column contains open spaces that create passageways for the spinal cord and the spinal nerves. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of (or an intrusion into) these openings. This can cause a compression of the nerves. Spinal stenosis most commonly affects the cervical and lumbar regions of the spine.

Spinal Stenosis (Cervical)

This problem affects the spinal nerves in your neck. It’s a narrowing of the spinal canal. That’s the space your spinal nerves travel through. In a healthy spine, the spinal canal protects these nerves. It keeps them free from injury. But with spinal stenosis, the spinal canal is too narrow, and your nerves get compressed.

Spinal Stenosis (Cervical)

This problem affects the spinal nerves in your neck. It’s a narrowing of the spinal canal. That’s the space your spinal nerves travel through. In a healthy spine, the spinal canal protects these nerves. It keeps them free from injury. But with spinal stenosis, the spinal canal is too narrow, and your nerves get compressed.

Spondylolisthesis

This condition occurs when a lumbar vertebra slips out of place. It slides forward, distorting the shape of your spine. This may compress the nerves in the spinal canal. The nerves that exit the foramen (open spaces on the sides of your vertebrae) may also be compressed. These compressed nerves can cause pain and other problems.

ALIF: Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

ALIF is generally used to treat back or leg pain caused by degenerative disc disease. The surgeon will stabilize the spine by fusing vertebrae together with bone graft material.

Laminectomy

This procedure relieves pressure on the nerve roots in the spine. It is most commonly performed to relieve the pain of stenosis. This is a narrowing of the spinal canal that is often caused by the formation of bony growths that can press against the nerve roots. The surgeon may treat one or more vertebrae.

Spinal Fusion (Lumbar)

In many spinal surgeries, two or more vertebral bones are permanently joined with a technique called “spinal fusion.” A fusion creates a solid mass of bone. It stabilizes your spine.

Total Disc Replacement

One goal of this procedure is to relieve the pain caused by pinched nerves or discogenic pain in the lumbar spine by replacing a diseased or damaged disc with specialized metal and polyethylene implants.

Minimally-Invasive TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion)

This minimally invasive procedure is used to remove a degenerated disc to relieve the compression of nerve roots in the lumbar spine. It is performed through a small incision on the back.

To schedule a consultation with Dr. Darakchiev, please call us 631-690-9080
CONTACT US
To schedule a consultation
with Dr. Darakchiev,
please
call us 631-690-9080
CONTACT US

ABOUT

Dr. Darakchiev is a board-certified neurosurgeon in Long Island, NY, with an established, highly regarded practice, for over 20 years.

WEST ISLIP OFFICE

380 Montauk Highway
West Islip, NY  11795

Phone: 631-690-9080
Fax: 631-893-8012

SMITHTOWN OFFICE

St. Catherine of Siena Medical Office Building,
Suite 302 48 Route 25A
Smithtown, NY 11787

Phone: 631-690-9080

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