Spinal surgery

Treating back pain to complex spinal surgery

Scoliosis and Spinal team Mr Jonathan Lucas

Our spine, also known as our spinal column, provides the main support for our body. It protects our spinal cord from injury, and allows us to stand upright and move freely.

The spine is made up of 33 individual bones, stacked one on top of the other. Strong bones and muscles, flexible ligaments and tendons, and sensitive nerves contribute to a healthy spine.

We know our spine serves such an important role in our body. Whether it’s for niggling back pain or complex spinal surgery, for more than 30 years patients have entrusted the spinal surgeons across our network of hospitals to treat a wide range of spinal conditions that include chronic back pain, sports injuries, deformities and tumours.

Spinal surgery includes everything from surgery at the front of the neck, decompressing the spine, managing sciatica, spinal fusions, spinal infections, spinal traumas to treating spinal tumours.

Finding the right diagnosis and treatment for your spine

Neck pain

Neck pain can affect people of all ages, from newborn babies to elderly people experiencing ongoing and debilitating problems. HCA UK neurosurgeons offer all patients specialist treatment for a range of neck-related conditions.

More about neck pain

Back pain

Back pain affects young children, adolescents and adults with different levels of severity, often defined as acute, chronic or neuropathic. Our HCA UK neurosurgeons and paediatric specialists are able to diagnose and treat all back problems, from minor pain to the most severe.

More about back pain

Sciatica

Patients with sciatica will often feel a tingling, burning or shooting pain intheir legs. The pain originates in the sciatic nerve, which runs from your feet down to your hips. At HCA UK we provide a number of treatment and rehabilitation options for people with sciatica.

More about sciatica

Brachialgia

Brachialgia is a pinched nerve in your neck, which as a result can cause severe pain in both your arms, often beginning with a tingling feeling like pins and needles. At HCA UK we not only provide a range of treatment options, but can also help to diagnose brachialgia with our highly advanced diagnostic equipment.

More about brachialgia

Spinal tumours

Spinal tumours often occur as a result of tumours elsewhere in the body, such as in the brain or bones, spreading to the spine. If you are diagnosed with either malignant or benign spinal tumours, you will receive the best treatment from our world-class neurosurgeons.

More about spinal tumours

Spina bifida, tethered cord and paediatric spinal surgery

Groundbreaking treatments including spinal implants for serious congenital defects such as spina bifida, are now carried out by specialist paediatric neurosurgeons at The Harley Street Clinic, helping your baby's physical development to progress as healthily as possible.

More about spina bifida

Scoliosis

Scoliosis occurs when an abnormal curvature of a person's spine begins to form, normally in the shape of an 'S' or 'C'. It can develop at any age, although it predominantly affects children aged 10 to 15, or in some cases younger. Our specialist Children and Adult's Scoliosis Service delivers expert care to all patients.

More about scoliosis

Spinal pain management

After firstly identifying the source of your back pain, our multidisciplinary teams of spinal specialists can then decide on the best course of treatment for you. This will include a range of techniques for managing pain, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and injections, as well as more progressive and rehabilitation options such as as physiotherapy.

More about spinal pain management

Meet the consultants who specialise in spinal surgery

Our spinal surgeons work within a comprehensive multidisciplinary team which includes specialist consultant radiologists, pain medicine consultants, rehabilitation doctors, spinal consultant anaesthetists, specialist spinal nurses and physiotherapists. 

They are constantly developing new ways to treat lower back pain with everything from spinal injections, to destroying damaged nerves in the spine with radiofrequency all the way through to image guided spinal surgery. They are at the forefront of spinal surgery changing patients’ lives every day.

Radiofrequency treatment for back pain and neck pain

We are using radiofrequency treatment frequently to treat a lot of back pain and neck pain conditions. We can put a probe into your back and send a radiofrequency signal through the probe to destroy damaged nerves, and prevent signals being sent through the spinal cord to your brain, thereby relieving your pain.

Minimally invasive navigated spinal surgery

Our continued investment in medical technology means that we can offer pioneering minimally invasive treatments to patients with spinal problems.

HCA UK neurosurgeons are able to treat conditions such as nerve or disc pain with simple procedures that were previously unavailable.

Visualase™ brain surgery

HCA UK continue to push boundaries, being the first UK healthcare provider to offer patients minimally invasive brain and spinal surgery using the Visualase™ systems.

These innovative technologies are available to our leading neurosurgeons at The Harley Street Clinic, and offer precise, MRI-guided assistance during cranial and spinal procedures.

London Neurosurgery Partnership

HCA UK is incredibly proud to be working so closely with the London Neurosurgery Partnership, a group spinal and cranial neurosurgeons who have come together to deliver world-class neurosurgical treatment.


Each consultant is recognised as a super-specialist in their area of expertise. You can rest assured that you, or your family member, will receive the best possible care no matter how serious your condition may be.

The Wellington Hospital Spinal Unit

The Wellington Hospital Spinal Unit combines advanced diagnostics, technology and treatment together with the expertise of leading spinal consultants to deliver the very best spinal care.


For over 30 years patients have entrusted our international renowned spinal experts to treat a wide range of spinal conditions from chronic back pain to adult scoliosis, and everything in between including spinal tumours and injuries.

Our Spinal surgery consultants

Professor Dimitrios Paraskevopoulos

Professor Dimitrios Paraskevopoulos

Neurosurgery

Mr Neil Dorward

Mr Neil Dorward

Neurosurgery

Mr Nicholas Thomas

Mr Nicholas Thomas

Neurosurgery

Mr Parag Sayal

Mr Parag Sayal

Neurosurgery

Our Spinal surgery locations

The Lister Hospital

The Lister Hospital

Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
The Wellington Hospital

The Wellington Hospital

8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
London Bridge Hospital

London Bridge Hospital

27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harley Street Clinic

The Harley Street Clinic

35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Shard Outpatients

The Shard Outpatients

The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London

This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.