UPMC Matt El-Kadi Spine Center: Restoring Mobility with a Comprehensive Approach

UPMC Matt El-Kadi Spine Center

The UPMC Matt El-Kadi Spine Center — located at UPMC Specialty Care in Wexford — offers an innovative spine program that brings together experts from multiple specialties to provide comprehensive diagnostic and outpatient care at one convenient location.

“UPMC continues to expand world-class spine care and services in the northern communities of Pittsburgh,” says Matt El-Kadi, MD, chief of neurosurgery at UPMC Passavant and director of the UPMC Matt El-Kadi Spine Center. This includes expanding access to experts who collaborate – neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, pain management specialists, physician therapists, and imaging – to diagnose and treat back, neck, arm, and hip pain, numbness and/or tingling, spine disorders, deformities, and injuries.

“It really is a one-stop shop for patients with spine issues, whether they need surgery or not,” adds Bryan Rynearson, MD, fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeon. “It’s a bonus for us as doctors, too. Our colleagues are literally down the hall so we can discuss cases in real time. That’s the value of a place like the Spine Center: Everyone is invested in finding the best possible solutions for patients.”

Dr. Matt El-Kadi meets with a patient to discuss treatment.

Kathryn Hoes, MD, a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon who also practices at the Spine Center agrees, “The resources available here are phenomenal. I believe in multispecialty coordinated care. And the patients benefit when we work together quickly and efficiently to provide truly specialized care.” Having so many specialists in one location is important for patients needing to see more than one expert, adds Robert Bailey, MD, neurosurgeon and vice chairman of the neurosurgery department at UPMC Passavant.

Appointments and consultations with different specialists and different imaging modalities can be scheduled in advance for the same day, in the same facility so patients don’t have to make multiple trips for the same issue. Ample parking and easy access also make the location appealing for patients.

WHEN BACK PAIN CAN’T WAIT

Back pain can often interfere with daily activities, from maintaining an active lifestyle to simply getting a restful night’s sleep. Recognizing its impact, Dr. El-Kadi and his colleagues at the Spine Center now offer same-day appointments, ensuring patients can quickly connect with a specialist in spine care.

Appointments are available for in-person visits at the Wexford location or virtually through the MyUPMC app. These same-day consultations provide patients with timely access to expert evaluations and help determine the most effective treatment plan tailored to their needs.

ADVANCED OPERATING SUITES

If non-surgical treatments, such as chiropractic care, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medicine, or steroid injections, don’t relieve symptoms, surgery may be needed to remove bone or ligament, or to relieve pressure on the nerves, helping to reduce pain, numbness, or other symptoms.

A patient in physical therapy after spine surgery at UPMC Passavant.

“Our approach is very conservative,” says Dr. Rynearson. If surgery is needed, we have a team of experts in minimally invasive and complex surgical procedures. “We start with the least invasive approach to relieve pain, restore function, and improve mobility,” says Dr. El-Kadi.

“There are patients with some pathologies that require more invasive surgery,” says Dr. Bailey. “But we are trained and equipped to provide the optimal care for our patients.”

All spine surgeries are performed at UPMC Passavant–McCandless, which has a dedicated spine care unit. Three state-of-the-art operating rooms are used exclusively for spinal surgery. Each is equipped with the latest technology. This includes specialized software used during surgery to create a 3D model of the spine in seconds for a real-time view of the patient’s anatomy. The pavilion also features spacious private rooms for patients requiring an overnight stay.

A new navigation system with robotic technology has been used at UPMC Passavant since 2023. It helps surgeons to place surgical instruments in the spine even more precisely. Using CT scans taken intraoperatively during surgery to create a map of the patient’s spine, the system guides the surgeon with real time precision. It allows for more procedures to be done in a less invasive way.

Innovations offer great opportunities, but it takes a skilled and well-trained surgeon to use it effectively.  “The clinical outcomes of our team and patient satisfaction are the best proof of that and we are thrilled to offer new technology and an advanced approach to our patients,” says Dr. El-Kadi.

To schedule a same-day in-person or virtual appointment at the UPMC Matt El-Kadi Spine Center, call 724-720-4599.

Is My Back Pain Sciatica?

Sciatica refers to pain caused by inflammation or compression of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body. The nerve starts in the lumbosacral plexus in the lower back portion of the spinal cord and runs down, through the buttock, the back of the leg, and into the foot. Herniated discs or other degenerative back conditions, piriformis syndrome, and tumors can compress the nerve, leading to sciatica.

Pain from sciatica can feel like electricity shooting down the back of your leg, even into the foot or toes. Some people have numbness or tingling, while others experience sciatica as dull pain or a burning sensation. Coughing, sneezing, and laughing may make the pain more intense.

SYMPTOMS OF SCIATICA PAIN

Sciatica pain can start in the lower back and radiate downward, into your leg and foot or toes. Radiating pain can help distinguish sciatica from other lower back pain.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:

• Varying pain ranging from dull to sharp

• “Electric shock” feeling

• Numbness (“pins and needles”)

• Burning or tingling sensation

• Weakness

WHAT CAUSES SCIATICA PAIN?

Many different factors can cause sciatica pain, from medical conditions to environmental and lifestyle causes, including:

• Ruptured disc

• Piriformis syndrome

• Spinal stenosis

• Pregnancy

• Osteoarthritis

• Injuries such as pelvic fractures and spinal injuries

• Tumors

• Infections

• Lyme Disease

• Sitting for long periods of time

• Carrying heavy loads

• Obesity

• Age

• Clothing

“It is important to learn the cause of your sciatica, because different causes will lead to different treatment options,” says Dr. El-Kadi, MD. “The first step is to see a doctor for an examination.

WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR

In most cases, sciatica pain will go away with rest, lifestyle changes, physical therapy, heat and/or ice, and over-the-counter painkillers.

Signs of more potentially serious conditions include:

• Experiencing sciatica on both sides

• Pain or numbness in both legs that’s getting worse

• Problems with urination – either stopping or starting

• Trouble controlling bowels

• Sciatica associated with high fever

• Persistent sciatica with weight loss

If your pain isn’t going away with normal treatment, if it’s worsening, or if it’s interfering with daily life, steroid injections, and in severe cases, surgery, might become necessary.