Dissection: A Spine Blog
Dissecting the latest in spine health and life at Dr. Katsuura’s Spine Clinic.
I try to share interesting and educational concepts in spine care and focus on the joy of medicine and surgery.
This blog is 100% human produced.
Fixing L5-S1: Why It Matters + One Patient’s Comeback
The L5 vertebra is the foundation of motion and strength in the back— when it fails, everything hurts and your quality of life is quickly ruined. In this short, I explain the technical side of L5-S1 Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF), used to repair the L5-S1 segment and how surgery helped one patient walk pain-free again. Dr. Katsuura is a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Marin, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco.
The ALIF Procedure, and Why I Love Surgery
In this video, I break down the Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF) procedure—its benefits, potential risks, and what makes it a great (or not-so-great) option for certain patients. I’ll share my thoughts on why I love surgery, the precision it requires, and how ALIF can provide life-changing results when done right.
Spinal Fusion Explained
Dr. Katsuura is a board certified spine surgeon practicing in Main, Novato, Sonoma, Mendocino and San Francisco explains one of the most common procedures in spinal surgery, the spinal fusion.
In this post and video Dr. Katsuura discusses the basic principles behind the spinal fusion, some common types of spinal fusions, the risks and finally the recovery process.