Do No Harm: A Remarkable Conversation Between a Patient and Her Spine Surgeon

Join us for this captivating conversation with world-renowned spine surgeon, Lawrence Lenke, MD, and one of his scoliosis patients, Pat Schellhorn. In this open and honest conversation about Pat’s complex medical diagnosis, Dr. Lenke shares his advice on how doctors can improve their patient care by listening to their patients, counseling patients on the right treatment path, and encouraging patients to be active participants in their medical care. Between Pat’s perseverance to find the right doctor for her treatment and Dr. Lenke’s expertise in spinal deformity, this conversation highlights how important the balance of both are to successful outcomes.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Meet Dr. Lenke
01:35 Pat’s X-Rays
02:23 Pat’s Journey
03:47 What is Normal Spine Alignment?
07:06 Informed Patients Have Better Outcomes
16:40 Spine Surgeons Often Suggest Non-Operative Solutions
25:40 Finding a Trusted Surgeon & Second Opinions
28:10 Find the Right Doctor For You
31:10 Large Spine Surgery Team
33:16 Invest Yourself in Your Post-Surgical Success
36:34 Care Providers Need to Have Empathy for Patients
38:40 Managing Surgical Expectations
39:59 Post-Surgical Accomplishments
42:15 Quality of Life Challenges Without Surgery