CHICAGO, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Midwest's first center dedicated to treating spine patients with the most advanced and innovative minimally invasive procedures opens today, April 25, in Chicago. The Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR) Minimally Invasive Spine Institute is located in MOR's new, state-of-the-art building, 1611 W. Harrison St., Chicago. The Institute is led by Drs. Frank Phillips and Kern Singh, board-certified orthopedic spine surgeons respected worldwide for their contributions in the field of minimally invasive spine surgery. 

A long time spine patient and former NBA basketball star and television sportscaster, Bill Walton, the "Big Red-Head," will join Drs. Singh and Phillips to launch the new Institute. Walton, who has struggled for years to overcome chronic back pain, will serve as keynote speaker for the grand opening events.  

Dr. Phillips, a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery, is a Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center and is listed as one of the top spine surgeons in the country by Orthopedics This Week. Dr. Singh is world renowned for his contributions in the area of minimally invasive spine surgery. His clinical interests include the treatment of complex degenerative disorders of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine and he specializes in spine tumors and adult spinal deformities. Dr. Phillips and Dr. Singh are both among the nation's Top 100 spine surgeons and specialists, according to Becker's Orthopedic Spine and Pain Management.

The MOR Minimally Invasive Spine Institute will offer the most current minimally invasive procedures for patients with a variety of spine disorders. These procedures, often referred to as "keyhole" surgeries, are performed through small incisions of an inch or less. The surgeon maneuvers special instruments through the incision and pushes muscles aside to reach the spine. The benefits are: shorter hospitalizations, less postoperative pain, faster recovery, reduced blood loss, less soft tissue damage, smaller surgical incisions, less scarring and improved function.

The MOR Minimally Invasive Spine Institute offers:

• Minimally Invasive Discectomy Minimally Invasive Laminectomy/Foraminotomy/Decompression
• Minimally Invasive Fusion
  • MIS TLIF (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion)
  • MIS Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion
  • Percutaneous Screw Fixation
• Mini-Open ALIF (Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion)
• Minimally Invasive Spinal Tumor Resections
• Minimally Invasive Adult Scoliosis Surgery

For more information on the MOR Minimally Invasive Spine Institute, call 855-SPINE-02 (774-6302) or visit www.rushortho.com.

SOURCE Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush