The Bonati Institute will conduct a seminar on back and neck pain Saturday, Oct. 7, at 9 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 311 Chestnut St.

The event is one of a series of educational seminars that The Bonati Institute conducts throughout the United States and Europe. The featured speaker will be Dr. Bruce D. Moffatt, who will present information about the anatomy of the spine, spine problems and conditions, the causes of pain from spinal problems, and the latest advances in surgical treatment.

Dr. Alfred O. Bonati pioneered the application of arthroscopic surgical procedures to problems of the lumbar, cervical and thoracic spine. The Bonati Institute holds six U.S. Patents on the instrumentation used in The Bonati Procedures. In addition Dr. Bonati spearheaded the use of lasers in spinal surgery with the development of the Holmium YAG Laser for advanced spinal surgery. Over the past 19 years the surgeons of The Bonati Institute have performed nearly 25,000 successful procedures for conditions such as spinal stenosis, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease and failed previous open back surgery, officials said.

There is no admission fee for the upcoming seminar, but seating is limited to 40 attendees. Refreshments will also be served.

A number of Chattanooga area residents have been treated by The Bonati Institute, including County Commissioner Bill Hullander, who had a severe disc problem.

Anyone interested in attending the seminar may register by logging on to www.bonati.com or calling (866) 298-7513.

The Bonati Institute is an advanced arthroscopic surgical center located in Hudson, Fla., 30 miles north of Tampa.

The Physicians of The Bonati Institute

Alfred O. Bonati, MD

A pioneer in the research, development and use of laser technology for arthroscopic spinal procedures, Dr. Bonati is the Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon at The Bonati Institute. He is responsible for the development of The Bonati Procedures which use lasers for treatment of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine and which have been awarded six patents by the U.S. Patent Office.
After completing his final residency in orthopaedic surgery in 1981, Dr. Bonati founded the Gulf Coast Orthopedic Center for Special Arthroscopic Procedures of the Joints, which later became The Bonati Institute. By 1989, the author of the book No More Back Pain began teaching and discussing his work around the world.

Bruce D. Moffatt MD

Board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and a member of numerous professional associations, Dr. Moffatt received his undergraduate degree with honors from the University of Rochester. He earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine and completed his internship in general surgery and residency in neurological surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Md. Dr. Moffatt did post-graduate training in neurological surgery at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, R.I.
Dr. Moffatt had a private practice of neurological surgery in California before becoming a staff neurosurgeon at the Orlando Regional Medical Center, Level 1 Trauma Center. He has been specializing in complex spinal procedures since 1999 after working with Advanced NeuroSpine Specialists in Norfolk, Va., and Atlantic Neurosurgery in Virginia Beach, Va.

Jorge O. Weksler, MD

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Dr. Weksler earned his medical degree from the University of Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina. He did his internship and residency at the Maimonides Medical Centre in Brooklyn, N.Y. and the Hospital for Joint Diseases in New York, N.Y.
Dr. Weksler performed surgery at facilities in San Antonio, Texas, before joining the staff of The Bonati Institute. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Leonel P. Limonte, MD

The Chief of Neurology at The Bonati Institute, Dr. Limonte evaluates and treats patients who suffer from disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems. His soothing manner helps even the most nervous patient face upcoming surgery as calmly as possible.
Dr. Limonte graduated cum laude from the University of Miami, where he received a BS degree in chemistry. He received his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
He completed fellowships in Clinical Electrophysiology and Neurological Rehabilitation at the University of Miami School of Medicine. At that university, he was also a member of the faculty as a Clinical Instructor of Neurology in the Department of Neurology.
Among the honors he has received during his career are Miami Dade College General Honors Program, Bowman F. Ashe Scholarship, Golden Key National Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society. The American Academy of Neurology also awarded him the Excellence in Rehabilitation National Award as an annual scholarship.

David R. Hirschauer, DO

A Diplomate of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners and a Diplomate of the American Osteophathic Board of Anesthesiology, Dr. Hirschauer is also board certified in pain management.
Since 1995, he has been instrumental in helping patients at The Bonati Institute find relief from pain. As Director of the Pain Management Department, he is responsible for assisting Dr. Bonati in determining pain-alleviating methods and treatments for each patient.
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Dr. Hirschauer received his Bachelor of Science degree from South Dakota State University and his medical degree from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines. Dr. Hirschauer completed his residency in Anesthesiology at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Program.
He is also a member of several state and national professional and honor societies, and is a Medical Advisor to several health care corporate boards. As a Commander in the United States Navy Medical Corps, Dr. Hirschauer continues to serve his country proudly.

Background

For nearly 20 years The Bonati Institute in Hudson, Florida has been the world’s destination for advanced arthroscopic surgery. Since The Bonati Institute’s founding, its medical teams have stood on the leading edge in developing surgical techniques and instruments that treat back, neck and joint problems with greater precision, less discomfort, and faster recovery. The years of dedication to constant innovation culminated in The Bonati Procedures, arthroscopic surgical solutions that have been awarded six U.S. Patents and have freed nearly 20,000 people from pain.
In the past “open” laminectomy surgery was a standard treatment for spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a condition whereby a bulging or degenerating vertebral disc narrows the spinal canal and pinches the nerve roots running from the spinal cord. The result is low back pain and radiating leg pain. “Open” laminectomy surgeries usually require a large incision to locate and remove the portion of the disc pressing on the nerve root. However, “open” surgery can be very traumatic to the muscles and tissues and can cause severe scarring. Even with the best results, patients of “open” laminectomies can experience pain for several months, and often face the very high probability that there will be no permanent relief.
The Bonati Procedures are the first surgical procedures to adapt the field of Arthroscopy to problems of lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine. Arthroscopy employs the smallest incision possible, (usually 1 to 2 inches long) and is a simple and far less invasive alternative to traditional “open” laminectomy and spinal fusion surgeries. Since Arthroscopy causes less trauma to the muscles and tissues, it also produces less blood loss, a shorter recovery period, reduced scarring, and less chance of infection or complications. The Bonati Procedures are gentle enough to require only local anesthesia, leaving the patient alert and able to communicate with the surgeon throughout the procedure. The less invasive nature of The Bonati Institute’s advanced arthroscopic surgery qualifies the Bonati Procedures as outpatient surgeries. Outpatient surgeries do not require costly overnight hospitalization.
Many of the advantages of the The Bonati Procedures are made possible by their use of advanced medical micro-technology. In a typical Bonati Procedure a small tube, called a cannula, is placed into the small arthroscopic incision. An image intensifier, called an endoscope, is then placed into the cannula to guide the surgical instrumentation to the exact location of the problem. The endoscope uses fiber optics and a television micro-camera mounted on a flexible tube to provide lighting and visualization of the interior of a joint. The micro-camera then projects a highly magnified and detailed picture of the problem area onto a large screen in the operating room, illustrating a remarkably close and precise view of the passageway to the specific problem area for the surgical team.
Once the exact problem area is located and verified, The Bonati Procedures employ patented instrumentation and Holmium YAG Lasers to remove the portion of the disc that is pressing upon the nerve root. The FDA-approved Holmium: YAG Lasers are considered the most effective laser instrument for arthroscopic orthopedic surgery in use today. The laser’s wavelength produces a thermal effect of less than one-half of one millimeter, a nearly microscopic path that contributes to rapid recovery, reduced pain and swelling, and shorter physical therapy. Studies conducted by The Bonati Institute also support the recent evidence that the use of these lasers in surgery enhances the regeneration of tissue vital to the proper restoration and functioning of the joint.
A world-renowned pioneer in the research, study and application of laser-assisted arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Alfred O. Bonati is the Chairman and Chief Orthopedic Surgeon at The Bonati Institute. Since The Bonati Institute and the Bonati Procedures draw patients from throughout the world, Dr. Bonati and his staff are frequent lecturers at national and international medical conferences. Dr. Bonati is a graduate of the University of Seville and the Bowman Gray Medical School, and completed internships and residencies at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, the University of Alabama, and Georgetown University. He also a Diplomate in the International College of Surgeons, the American Board of Neurological, Orthopaedic Medicine and Surgery, and the Arthroscopy Board of North America. He is the author of the book No More Back Pain: A New and Proven Program to Free Yourself from Back Pain For Life.
More than 90% of The Bonati Institute’s patients report immediate improvement following a Bonati Procedure. Even patients who may have had “open” laminectomy or fusion surgeries that did not relieve their pain now have renewed hope with these gentle, carefully controlled, arthroscopic procedures.
The Bonati Procedures have proved successful in providing permanent relief of pain from numerous back and neck conditions, including pain from:

Bone Spurs: The enlargement of the bony structure of the spine.

Degenerative Arthritis: The chronic breakdown of cartilage in the joints.
Failed Open Back Surgery: Open back surgery commonly involves an incision of several inches in the lower back and removal of some of the backbone. The operation may have significant complications such as intractable pain, nerve injury and loss of function.
Foraminal Narrowing: A disc herniation in the tunnel in which the nerve exits the spine.
Fusion: A previous procedure whereby one or more vertebrae are fused by bone grafts to prevent motion between them.

Instability: Abnormal movement of the vertebrae when ligaments, discs, and joints are damaged to the point that they can no longer hold the bones together.

Low Back Pain: Nerve irritation or “pinching” which causes the muscles in the lower back to tense up.

Radiculitis: Irritation of the nerve root caused by degeneration of the outer ring of the disc.
Sciatica: Irritation of the sciatic nerve typically felt from the low back to the thigh and radiating down below the knee.

Scoliosis: Sideways curving of the spine.

Spinal Cord Compression: Nerves “pinched” by ruptured discs.

Spinal Stenosis: The narrowing of the spaces in the spine and the compression of the nerve roots or spinal cord.

Spondylosis: Degeneration of the disc spaces between the vertebrae usually caused by osteoarthritis. Also known as Degenerative Disc Disease.

Spondyloisthesis: Forward movement of a vertebra in relation to an adjoining vertebra.

The Bonati Institute occupies a five-acre campus in Hudson, Florida, approximately 30 miles north of Tampa. The Institute’s Administrative Center, Neurology Center, Surgical center, Pain Management Center, Physical Therapy Center, and Imaging Center rest within a spacious Old Florida setting, a park-like reserve for native foliage and wildlife.
The medical staff at The Bonati Institute includes Orthopaedic and Neuro-Surgeons, Neurologists, Osteopathic Medical examiners, and Physical Therapists, Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. These clinical staff is supported by a large, and very experienced, team of health professional support dedicated to medical excellence and complete patient satisfaction.

To Contact The Bonati Institute:
Mailing address
The Bonati Institute
7315 Hudson Avenue
Hudson, FL 34667

Website
www.bonati.com

E-mail
info@bonati.net

Telephone
(866) 298-7513
(866) 306-3694
Fax:
(727) 863-6914