Dr. Robert Johnson, Spine Surgeon in Idaho Falls

Dr. Robert Johnson went into spine surgery because of his mother. After an accident when he was a child, she had a spinal fusion and lived with its effects for years. Today he's a spine surgeon in Idaho Falls, and his whole practice is built around one goal: keeping patients moving.

In this video, Dr. Robert Johnson, a board-certified spine surgeon at Summit Orthopaedics, explains why he focuses on robotic spine surgery and artificial disc replacement. Robotic guidance makes surgery more precise, which can lower the risk of complications. Unlike a fusion, a lumbar disc replacement or a cervical disc replacement keeps the spine's natural motion. He also clears up a common myth: disc replacements aren't experimental. They've been used in the U.S. since 2004, and even longer in Europe.

Not every patient needs surgery. Many neck, low-back and spine conditions get better with conservative treatment first. If you've been told you need spine surgery and want to understand your options, schedule a consultation with Dr. Johnson.

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Dr. Robert Johnson, DO, Spine Surgeon, Summit Orthopaedics [0:00]
"I'm Dr. Robert Johnson here with Summit Orthopaedics. I specialize in spine, and more particularly, I specialize in robotics and artificial disc replacements of both the cervical and lumbar spine."

[0:13]
"Patients ask me a lot of times why I went into spine surgery, and I think a lot of it stems from my own personal life and my family life. My mother was involved in an accident when I was a child, and back then they did not necessarily have the same technology and the same advancements that we have nowadays. The type of surgery that she was relegated to, specifically the type of fusion she was relegated to, helped get her over that accident. But unfortunately, that type of surgery has repercussions, both short-term and long-term. I watched throughout my childhood and my whole life her having to deal with the repercussions of that accident, but then also the surgery itself. And that's what's really driven my practice: trying to help patients get back to a normal, active lifestyle, maintain that active portion of their life, and be able to return to the things that they love."

[1:02]
"A lot of times patients ask more about our artificial disc replacements and how long they've been around. To tell you the truth, there are a lot of misconceptions out there. Disc replacements, for example, have been around since 2004, and subsequent editions were released in 2006 and 2015. So there's nothing investigational about them. They've actually been around for over a decade, and even longer in European studies and markets."

[1:32]
"The difference between a disc replacement and a fusion, which is a traditional surgery done for various types of spinal conditions, is that a disc replacement preserves active and passive range of motion. It allows the patient to maintain a more active lifestyle without necessarily the same repercussions. And when applied in the appropriate patient, and in the appropriate setting and conditions, that patient can have equal to or even better outcomes than traditional spinal fusions."

[2:03]
"One thing I've really geared my practice toward is disc replacements, both cervical and lumbar spine, but then also robotic spine surgery, which allows us as surgeons to be more precise and more accurate in our actual surgical applications. That reduces risks and potential complications to the patients and ultimately provides a better outcome in the long run."

[2:24]
"So here at Summit Orthopaedics, by implementing some of the most advanced technology within the spine realm, through robotic spine surgery and artificial disc replacement, we're able to help patients recover faster and return to a more active, normal lifestyle than ever before, even more so than with traditional surgical techniques."

[2:47]
"If you've ever been told you need spine surgery or you need an intervention, and you've had questions about what you're being told or what your options are, feel free to reach out and give us a call. Come in and visit with us. Let us help guide you, show you what some of those options are, and whether they're appropriate for you and your specific case."

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