Dr. Bailey Zampella – Spinal Services

Bailey Zampella, DO is a highly skilled and compassionate spine specialist dedicated to delivering exceptional care for a full range of spinal conditions. With a strong emphasis on patient education and personalized treatment planning, Dr. Zampella ensures that every patient receives advanced, evidence-based care tailored to their specific needs.

Our mission is to help you understand your spine condition and the treatment options available, making even complex information clear and approachable. We believe that an informed patient is a confident patient, and we are committed to supporting you through every step of your spine care journey.

Spinal Surgery: Restoring Stability and Quality of Life

Spinal surgery is a highly specialized field dedicated to relieving pain, restoring stability, and improving function for patients with complex spinal conditions. Dr. Zampella provides advanced surgical solutions designed to address nerve compression, structural instability, and degenerative changes that interfere with daily life. The goal is to correct underlying spinal issues, reduce symptoms, and help patients return to a more active, comfortable lifestyle.

Kyphoplasty / Vertebroplasty

Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty are minimally invasive procedures designed to stabilize weakened or fractured vertebrae and provide rapid, long-lasting pain relief. By reinforcing the damaged bone with medical-grade cement—and restoring lost height in kyphoplasty—they reduce spinal instability, improve alignment, and help patients regain mobility. These treatments are commonly recommended for compression fractures caused by osteoporosis, trauma, cancer, or multiple myeloma when symptoms don’t improve with conservative care. They offer a safe, effective option for restoring stability and improving quality of life after a painful vertebral fracture.

Laminectomy

A laminectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the lamina—the back portion of the vertebra—to open the spinal canal and relieve pressure on compressed nerves or the spinal cord. By reducing this pressure, the procedure helps ease pain, numbness, and weakness, allowing patients to move more comfortably and return to normal activities. Laminectomy is commonly recommended for spinal stenosis, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, and certain tumors or cysts, especially when conservative care no longer provides relief. It offers an effective option for restoring function and improving the quality of life when nerve compression limits mobility.

Laminotomy

A laminotomy is a minimally invasive procedure that removes only a small portion of the lamina to create space for compressed nerves while preserving spinal stability. By targeting just the area causing irritation, it effectively relieves pressure and reduces pain, numbness, and weakness. Laminotomy is often recommended for localized spinal stenosis, herniated discs, radiculopathy, degenerative changes, or bone spurs when symptoms persist despite conservative care. This focused approach helps maintain natural spinal structure and supports a smoother, faster recovery.

Foraminotomy / Foraminectomy

A foraminotomy or foraminectomy is a surgical procedure that widens the foraminal canal—the narrow passage where spinal nerves exit—to relieve pressure from bone, disc material, or thickened tissue. By enlarging this space and removing the compression on the nerve, the procedure helps reduce pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. A foraminectomy involves a more extensive removal of tissue than a foraminotomy. These treatments are often recommended for foraminal stenosis, pinched nerves, bone spurs, degenerative disc disease, or disc herniations that extend into the foramen. They can restore proper nerve function and provide meaningful relief when conservative care is no longer effective.

Discectomy / Microdiscectomy

A discectomy removes the portion of a herniated or ruptured disc that is pressing on a spinal nerve, helping relieve pain and restore function. A microdiscectomy uses a smaller incision and specialized instruments to achieve the same nerve-relieving results with a less invasive approach and faster recovery. These procedures are commonly recommended for herniated discs, sciatica, cervical or lumbar radiculopathy, disc extrusion, or persistent nerve pain that hasn’t improved with conservative care. By easing pressure on the affected nerve, they provide effective relief and help patients regain mobility and quality of life.

Corpectomy

A corpectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part or all of a vertebral body—along with the discs above and below—to relieve severe pressure on the spinal cord. After the damaged bone is removed, the spine is reconstructed with implants or bone grafts to restore alignment and stability. This creates more space for the spinal cord, prevents further neurological decline, and improves overall function. Corpectomy is often recommended for significant spinal cord compression, vertebral tumors, fractures, advanced degeneration, infections, or cervical myelopathy when less invasive options cannot provide adequate relief or stability.

Spinal Fusion

Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that permanently joins two or more vertebrae to create a stronger, more stable segment of the spine. By eliminating painful motion between damaged levels, it can reduce chronic pain, improve alignment, and restore function. The procedure uses bone grafts, implants, or specialized hardware to help the vertebrae heal into one solid unit. Spinal fusion is often recommended for degenerative disc disease, instability, spondylolisthesis, recurrent herniated discs, arthritis, deformities, or fractures that compromise spine support. It provides lasting stability and relief when conservative treatments are no longer effective.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion (ACDF)

ACDF is a surgical procedure performed through the front of the neck to remove a damaged or herniated cervical disc that is compressing the spinal cord or nerves. Once the disc is removed, a bone graft or implant is placed to fuse the surrounding vertebrae, restoring proper spacing and stability. This approach effectively relieves nerve pressure and reduces neck and arm pain. ACDF is often recommended for cervical herniated discs, radiculopathy, stenosis, degenerative disc disease, myelopathy, or bone spurs that haven’t responded to conservative care. It provides reliable symptom relief and is one of the most effective options for treating cervical nerve compression.

Posterior Cervical Fusion

Posterior Cervical Fusion is a surgical procedure performed through the back of the neck to stabilize the cervical spine. Using screws, rods, and bone grafts, the surgeon fuses two or more vertebrae to restore alignment, strengthen the spine, and reduce painful motion that may be contributing to nerve compression or weakness. This approach is often recommended for cervical instability, multi-level stenosis, fractures, failed prior surgery, deformities, severe arthritis, or traumatic injuries. It is typically chosen when strong, multi-level support is needed or when the condition cannot be effectively addressed from the front of the neck.

Minimally Invasive Microdiscectomy

A minimally invasive microdiscectomy uses smaller incisions and specialized instruments to remove the portion of a herniated disc that is compressing a spinal nerve. By reducing muscle disruption and limiting tissue damage, this approach offers the same effective nerve relief as a traditional microdiscectomy with the benefit of a quicker recovery. It is often recommended for lumbar herniated discs, sciatica, single-level disc issues, nerve root compression, or disc bulges that haven’t improved with conservative care. Minimally invasive microdiscectomy provides significant pain relief and supports a faster return to daily activities.

Minimally Invasive Decompression

Minimally invasive decompression uses small incisions and specialized instruments to relieve pressure on spinal nerves while preserving overall stability. By removing only the bone or tissue causing compression, this technique reduces muscle disruption and promotes a smoother, faster recovery. It is often recommended for lumbar or cervical stenosis, nerve compression from bone spurs, degenerative disc disease, or facet joint hypertrophy, especially when symptoms like leg pain, numbness, weakness, or difficulty walking persist. This approach provides effective relief with less downtime, offering a gentler surgical option for many patients.

Common Adult Spinal Conditions: Comprehensive Care

Dr. Zampella provides comprehensive spinal care for a variety of common adult spinal conditions. Her expertise encompasses diagnosing and treating complex conditions affecting the brain and spine, with a consistent focus on patient safety and optimal outcomes.

Degenerative and Acquired Conditions of the Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Spine

Degenerative and acquired conditions of the spine are common causes of pain, weakness, and neurological dysfunction. Dr. Zampella offers advanced surgical solutions for a range of spinal conditions affecting the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), and lumbar (lower back) regions. The goal of surgical intervention is to decompress compressed nerves or the spinal cord, stabilize the spine, and alleviate symptoms, thereby improving function and quality of life.

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, leading to pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms or legs. Dr. Zampella performs various surgical procedures to relieve this compression, such as laminectomy or laminoplasty, which create more space within the spinal canal.

Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one vertebra slips forward over another, often causing back pain and nerve compression. Surgical treatment typically involves decompression of the nerves and spinal fusion to stabilize the affected segment of the spine, preventing further slippage and alleviating symptoms.

Disc Herniations

Disc herniations occur when the soft inner material of an intervertebral disc protrudes through its outer layer, irritating or compressing nearby nerves. Dr. Zampella performs procedures like microdiscectomy to remove the herniated portion of the disc, relieving pressure on the nerve and resolving symptoms such as radiating pain, numbness, or weakness.

Spinal & Orthopedic Neurological Diagnostics

X-rays of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine
Discography for spinal disc evaluation
Bone scans (if tumor, fracture, or infection is suspected)

Spinal Services