Study ranks River Oaks second in nation for spinal procedure

FLOWOOD — River Oaks Hospital has received the nation’s second-highest ranking among hospitals performing spine discectomy, or the surgical removal of herniated discs that are pressing on a nerve or the spinal cord.

River Oaks was also ranked 21^st on the list of the nation’s top 25 hospitals in the area of spine fusion, a surgical procedure that joins, or fuses, two or more vertebrae.

Both of the rankings were announced by Orthopedic News.

River Oaks reports it earned the ranking in the area of spinal discectomy due to a comprehensive surgical program that includes a neurology and orthopedic coordinator to assist surgeons; frequent peer review of all surgery cases; surgical teams that collaborate to ensure the best patient outcome; and, patient education coordinators that provide critical pre- and post-op information.