The Laser Myth in Spine Surgery
“Do you use a laser in your spinal surgeries?” That question makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I reply calmly and with authority, “No.” I continue, “I am trained in laser surgery. It has almost zero usefulness in your spine surgery and in fact, may be harmful.” Let me explain.…
Read MoreOpening Doors
For a long time now we’ve wanted to bring our special brand of neurosurgical care into the Hamilton area. Now we have the people power to accomplish just that. Princeton Brain & Spine neurosurgeon Dr. Nazer Qureshi is now providing care to area residents from our new office at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. The new…
Read MoreResident Work Hours Restrictions
The Controversy Over Resident Work Restrictions It all started in 1984 when 18-year-old Libby Zion went to the emergency room at New York Hospital with flu-like symptoms. The two young medical residents—physicians in training—who cared for Zion couldn’t determine the cause of her illness. They prescribed a medication that caused serotonin syndrome, a lethal interaction…
Read MoreThe Electrician vs. The Carpenter
Who’s Better Trained to do Your Spine Surgery? By Mark R. McLaughlin, MD, FACS, FAANS Now and then a patient will ask this question: Should I have my spinal surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon? Which one is better?
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know About Health Insurance
Many people don’t understand how health insurance works—and that’s understandable. Insurance plans can be very complicated and there are more than 1,000 plans in the marketplace. I’ll give you guidelines for choosing one that gives you the most valuable healthcare benefit: freedom of choice. It can be difficult to wade through the huge amount of…
Read MoreCognitive Dominance at RWJ
Dr. McLaughlin will be speaking on “Cognitive Dominance” at the RWJ Fitness and Wellness Center on February 10 from 6:00-8:00pm. The presentation provides lessons from neurosurgery that can applied to both competition and everyday life. Dr. McLaughlin is a powerful teacher and speaker and attendees will find it both eye-opening and useful. The event is…
Read MoreGrowing Opportunity for Dr. Nirav and Neha Shah Family Medical Mission
On October 6th, I returned from our most recent medical mission to the Dominican Republic. The medical missions are an outreach intended to bring the art and science of care practiced here at home, to the Bonao region in the central highlands of the Dominican Republic. By providing outstanding care, at no cost to the…
Read More10 Years a Neurosurgeon – Nirav Shah MD
July 1st, marks a memorable day in my life. Ten years ago, on this day, I became a neurosurgeon. As I take a step back to process this fact, it is clear to me that the past decade has been a gift. A gift from my family members, who have stood by my side since…
Read MoreTrigeminal Neuralgia and Community Neurosurgery
Why Local Hospitals May Provide Higher-Quality Care Recently I gave a lecture in Boston about a surgical procedure that can cure a rare condition called trigeminal neuralgia. People who suffer from this condition have brief attacks in which they experience excruciating pain in the face, mouth or throat. Many patients describe this pain as similar…
Read MoreWGN Chicago News Anchor’s Wife Suffers From Trigeminal Neuralgia
It’s no secret that the physicians at Princeton Brain & Spine Care have a special interest in the treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia and other facial pain disorders resulting from nerve problems. In fact, Dr. Mark McLaughlin trained with Dr. Peter Jannetta who developed the gold standard Jannetta Procedure for the microvascular decompression of the trigeminal…
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