In Better Health

with Dr. John Steck of Culicchia Neurological

Medical Condition: Spinal Stenosis

Treatment: A Lumbar Laminectomy, Foraminotomy, and Facetectomy, Translaminar approach for Interbody fusions and Posterolateral Fusion at the L 3, 4, 5 and S1 levels

BEFORE SURGERY, every time Patricia MancusoMaronge stood up she experience numbness and burning pain from her waist all the way to her ankles. Patricia recalls that she, “had no quality of life, none whatsoever, for over two years. Epidurals and nerve blocks did not help. Nothing helped.”

Patricia met with Dr. John Steck after he performed successful surgeries for Patricia’s husband and sister. He answered every question Patricia had. “He was very patient and understanding of how much pain I had been in for years.” According to Dr. Steck, “Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal causing compression of the spinal cord and nerves. This causes lower extremity pain, weakness, and numbness. With standing and walking, the legs get weak, numb, or have radiating pain. It can severely affect quality of life.”

“The goal of the four-hour surgery was to enlarge the spinal canal and take the pressure off the spinal cord and nerves. Some cases, when the spinal vertebrae are out of alignment, also require a fusion,. Mrs. MancusoMaronge had stenosis at three lumbar levels with instability, so she needed a three-level decompression with fusion, eight screws, and two rods. It is major surgery, but,” Dr. Steck assures, “it can be done safely.”

Dr. Steck performed Patricia’s surgery at West Jefferson Medical Center. After surgery Patricia recuperated at West Jefferson Medical Center’s rehabilitation unit under the care of Culicchia Neurologist Michael Puente. Dr. Puente is also the co-medical director of the hospital’s inpatient rehab unit. “Post-surgery rehab and physical therapy are important to guide the patient through the recovery phase from surgery until they are once again able to resume their normal activities,” Dr. Puente explains.

Now, eight months after surgery, Patricia has had no pain in her back - none. She can once again enjoy the activities she loves. She has no problem standing at the door of her church and serving as the greeter for everyone who enters. “I had deterioration of the bone, osteoarthritis, and stenosis. I had a multitude of things going on,” Patricia declares. “The surgery relieved all of it. I cannot sing Dr. Steck’s praises enough.”

John Steck, MD, FAANS leads the spine team at Culicchia Neurological Clinic in Marrero and is a Clinical Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at LSU Health New Orleans. He is consistently listed as a leading doctor in Inside New Orleans and other publications. He graduated from LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed a general surgery internship and a neurosurgical residency at the University of Florida in Gainesville.