Fellowship-trained and board-certified orthopaedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons are equally qualified. However, the main difference is in training. A neurosurgeon is trained to treat conditions of the brain and spine, while an orthopaedic spine surgeon specializes in treating the spine.

Many years ago, neurosurgeons were primarily responsible for spine surgery, but in the past 20 to 25 years spine surgery has evolved so that both neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons specialize in spine surgery, and for most of the typical spine operations both types of surgeons are equally well qualified.

A neurosurgeon is a specially trained medical doctor who diagnoses and treats conditions that affect your nervous system — your brain, spinal cord and nerves. Neurosurgeons perform surgery on your nervous system, but they can also provide nonsurgical treatments.

Combined neurosurgical and orthopedic training facilitates complex spinal surgery. Mayo Clinic has neurosurgeons with combined neurosurgical and orthopedic fellowship training in spinal surgery. That dual expertise, available at each of the main campuses, underlies Mayo Clinic's approach to complex spinal procedures.